Time Changes Us
by Elsie Kei
Summary: Kagome has been away for 7 years. She left to become stronger and independent... also to get away from Inuyasha and Kikyo. On her way back she stops for the night, only to end up facing a certain daiyoukai who was also on his way to Edo. Rated mature for future chapters.
1. A warm welcome

**Hey guys, so this is my first fanfic! I hope you enjoy!**

Kagome walked silently back to Edo. It has been seven years since she saw everyone, she almost couldn't contain her excitement! She planned on coming back in half of that time, but she discovered during her training that she would required much more time to control her powers, and she still struggled with them. She currently wore a priestess kimono that she had modified so she could take it off easily. Her fighting suit beneath it, much like a demon slayer's, for the occasion of a confrontation. A sheathed katana adorning one side of her waist. Her beaten up yellow backpack filled with everything she owned weighed on her shoulders. Her bow and quiver rightly in place with her long and thick french braid swaying behind her knees.

Kagome was still debating with herself whether or not she'll reside on the village. She wanted to be close to Shippo, but some things couldn't be helped, she needed more control to be able to do so. Twilight began to creep over the late afternoon and she decided to camp for the night. There was another hour of walking to do and she'd have to camp far away anyway. She kneeled and put her hand on the ground, sending a slight pulse of reiki to in search of a hot spring. She found one, and gladly walked towards the forest in its direction.

When she reached the springs she noticed it had a natural wall separating the water into two pools, one smaller than the other. It was quite the pretty sight actually, almost as if it was two private natural bathtubs. She sent another pulse of reiki through the air around her and scared away a few low youkais. She had gotten much better at using her powers for things like this, it was almost like an instinct. After the defeat of Naraku, she refused to need any help to make a difference. She wouldn't listen to people saying she was useless anymore. She had found the time and will to make herself stronger, both in her home and here.

After she felt the area was safe, she prepared her camp before walking to the springs. Leaving her bathing apparel on a rock, and her bow close, she entered the water.

"Aah, this is heaven." She sighed to herself. The temple where she trained did have hot springs, but there was also a waterfall that was quite cold. They were required to bathe under the falls every once in a while to create endurance and train the body for 'uncomfortable' temperatures. Needless to say, those baths were as short as they could be. After feeling her sore body relax under the hot water, she grabbed her handmade soap and began to wash. It wasn't as perfumed as the industrial ones, but she did a very good job with what she had. After cleaning her body, she undid her braid and let loose her hair so she could wash it with her also handmade shampoo. Her usual bangs were long gone and her hair reached behind her knees. She liked not having bangs, having a french braid allowed her hair to stay out of her face, and the look suited her. After thoroughly washing her hair, she dunked to get the shampoo off, and when she resurfaced she immediately felt it. The presence made her stop, she so wasn't ready for this in her current state. But nonetheless, she looked at her campsite.

Sesshomaru was headed towards Edo for his monthly visit. He had brought Rin another set of Kimonos and supplies, she was in a growth spurt that started a few months back and he had to bring her bigger Kimonos almost every time he visited. Not that he minded, seeing how healthy she was from a good nutrition and the happiness she felt when seeing him made him smile. Internally of course. Jaken had started squawking on Ah-Un's back and it began to irritate Sesshomaru. He was about to tell him to shut up when it hit them. Ah-Un's heads sighed slightly, and Jaken shut his beak and visibly relaxed on top of the dragon. Sesshomaru stopped mid-air, absent-mindedly telling Ah-Un and Jaken to go ahead, not noticing their reaction as he was entranced on his own. He was _relaxed._ Sesshomaru didn't relax outside his own springs. He could feel satisfaction and warmth that was not his. Not knowing what was causing this, he thought of his beast.

 _Are you doing this?_

 **No. Find the source.**

His beast was also very intrigued by the feeling. Sesshomaru hid his presence and began searching the land. What for, he didn't know. As he came closer to the ground, he smelled a minty scent and decided to land and follow it. As he got closer, he smelled something familiar, flower sweet with a touch of citrus, the combination of that with the mint was quite pleasant. He continued walking and his curiosity grew with every step as the relaxed feeling grew stronger. That's when he saw her.

The young woman was washing her hair, brushing her long locks with her small hands to spread the foam. He was transfixed, her face showed her relaxation and delight, and then he realised it was her aura he was feeling. Only… auras didn't do what hers was doing. He watched her dunk and leave the foam from the soap behind, and he made his presence known. He'd get answers, he was beyond intrigued. He watched as the girl resurfaced and immediately stiffened, taking away the relaxation, not that he noticed. She covered her intimate areas with her long, raven hair, her blue eyes on him. For some reason, he felt like he knew that girl. Her scent was familiar but her aura.. _._ She even resembled the hanyou's Miko-

"Sesshomaru?" She called him out, interrupting his thoughts. Her voice was softer but he still recognized it as the miko's. And yet this _aura._ He never felt anything like it. "Sesshomaru?!" She exclaimed as he approached her. He hardly took notice of her nude state as he was intrigued to the core about her powers. She dunked the rest of her body up to the neck and hid behind the rock on the edge of the springs.

"Who are you." He demanded, he needed to know. He narrowed his eyes as she gave a nervous chuckle.

"What do you mean who am I? I cannot believe you've forgotten about me!" She responded to him, feeling obviously hurt he didn't remember her. But he was convinced it couldn't be the Miko, even now that he inspected her closely. Her features were sharper, her body curvier and her muscles were lightly toned. He took a step closer and eyed her dangerously.

"This Sesshomaru will not ask again." He demanded an answer.

"It's me, Kagome. The priestess who defeated Naraku and wished the jewel away. The one you tried to kill a couple of times. There, happy?" His intimidation didn't seem to affect her, he couldn't smell fear. "I would love to catch up, but the smell of your arousal is making my situation more uncomfortable... if that is even possible." Her cheeks reddened deeper with this statement, but she didn't lower her eyes. Those blue orbs held a hint of shy amusement as his golden ones widened. _I am pretty sure I'll regret saying that._ Kagome thought bitterly.

Immediately he turned and walked to the other side of the spring, the wall taking her away from view. He hadn't noticed he became aroused, in fact, he wasn't paying attention to his own reactions at all, which left him disturbed and displeased. And the fact that she could _smell it_ left him even more intrigued. It was something that only youkai could smell. She claimed to be the Miko, but she was … different. He was almost _drawn_ to her, it was as if something was pulling him towards her. And he hated it. He needed to know who and what she was and move on. He was _distracted._ It wasn't like him to lose control over his own reactions like this. Especially with a human priestess. He regained his control and waited for the woman, listening to the shuffle of fabric and steps here and there.

"I'm properly dressed." She called, and he walked over to her, determination and curiosity moving him.

"You can't be the half-breed's Miko, even if you resemble her, your aura and presence are different ." He stated.

Kagome glared at him. Did he just accuse her of lying? She knew she had to be cautious around Sesshomaru, but he was starting to test her patience. He also didn't scare her anymore, she'd hold her ground.

"I'm not lying about who I am." She responded, the hint of annoyance clear in her voice. She reached for her hairbrush and began to brush her long wavy locks before tying it back with a hairband. "My aura is different because I've spent seven years training at the western temple to expand my powers." His eyes narrowed at her.

"Last time this One saw the Miko was during the previous spring." He was getting angry, he knew it was a lie, even if he couldn't smell or see any indication of deceit on her. Admitting that she told the truth would mean that he had lost his mind. He flashed to her, his hands reaching for her neck with a threat ready on the tip of his tongue, but his claws met only air. He snapped his head in her direction _. The wench dodged me?!_ He did not like this human woman.

"Are you making shit up so you have an excuse to kill me?!" She glared at him, exasperated that he truly didn't believe her. Next thing she knew she was dodging a green whip. The tree behind her gave a loud 'crack' as its trunk broke into pieces and fell to the side. "Sesshomaru listen to me!" She didn't want to fight him, she didn't want to hurt him because of Rin. All she had done was relax, for once stop concentrating on keeping her aura to herself. _Stupid aura. I really need to fix it before it gets me killed. I've got to calm him-_

"You lied to this One and expects him to listen?" He interrupted her thoughts by whipping at her again, but she no longer was where he aimed. He was more than convinced this couldn't be Inuyasha's Miko. He stopped suddenly when he felt a calming wave roll over his body. His rage was suppressed under it and he hesitated before attacking again. Kagome took her chance. She charged at him, using her Reiki to throw herself on him with enough force to make him hit the ground on his back. Her reiki binds holding the now furious red-eyed daiyoukai to the ground. She cradled on his armor just below the spikes and began chanting.

 **From mind to mind**

 **My memories through your sight**

 **When our fates intertwined**

 **I will share what is mine**

Sesshomaru stood still as she chanted the words over and over, his body unresponsive as he began to drift away from reality. Once her voice went silent, he felt her lips lightly touch his. And as if her touch was a switch, images flooded his sight. He watched every encounter they had through her eyes. From the retrieval of Tessaiga to the last time he saw her on the village and the encounter they were having now, up until the moment she touched his lips. What seemed an eternity, lasted only a few seconds. When he blinked and saw reality again, she was already off of him.

"Do you believe me now?" She whispered, panting slightly, a few feet away. That damn spell always took a toll on her. She had to relive everything within those memories or let the receiver feel it. She did _not_ want him to know how she felt right now. She knew why he became aroused and it wasn't exactly his fault. And to top it off she had used an absurd amount of Reiki to be able to hold him down since she didn't know how much she would need to be able to do so, she used everything she got. As she calmed her heart from the swirl of old emotions on her mind, she saw him getting up. His eyes, back to their molten gold intensity, fell upon her. She knew that, if he wasn't convinced, she would die right there. She barely had the energy to walk, let alone dodge any attack or create a barrier.

"How." He demanded, his voice was way deeper than before, sending shivers down her spine. She tried taking a step but her legs gave up and she hit her knees on the hard dirt. She shifted to sit on her butt and faced him, hoping he would at least let her rest.

"It's a spell, but I need to rest. Can I explain after I do so?" She asked, not being able to raise her voice above a whisper. She really didn't like using spells that messed with memories and such, the cost was high. She watched him, unsure of how this would turn out. But surprisingly…

"Hn." And then he walked to the edge of the camp and perched himself on a tree. His eyes glued on her.

Kagome tried standing, her wobbly legs not exactly helping her. Once she stood and gained confidence, she dusted her clothes and began to pick up her supplies so she could put them away. Slowly but surely.

"Miko." Sesshomaru called, he had watched how she would stop and close her eyes tight every ten seconds. Her body reeked of fear. Kagome sighed internally.

"Yes?" She whispered and turned to look at him. If he wanted to talk, he would have to settle with her whispering. She felt her arms begin to weigh and the fight to keep conscious was getting harder. The emotions from her memory were helping her mind stay alert, but they would soon fade.

"Why is it that this Sesshomaru smells fear on you now?" He seemed genuinely curious. Or maybe just offended she wasn't scared of him earlier.

"That is because I only gave you the visual part of my memories. The remaining sensory parts - smell, touch, feelings - I kept to myself. I'm just conscious because of said fear." She informed him, leaving her supplies next to her backpack and, with difficulty, taking her sleeping bag out. Before settling in, she tried scanning the area again, just in case.

She didn't know Sesshomaru's intentions, therefore she couldn't count on his protection. She could only go forth a couple inches before her reiki ran out of energy. With a heavy sigh, she entered her sleeping back and passed out almost immediately. She had to trust him, she had no other choice.

He watched her trying to scan the place again, her exhaustion was quite clear. He would wait and get the answers he wanted from her. No human had ever matched his speed before or was able to tackle him down in the manner she did. Also, it didn't make any sense to him why would she lie about being away for longer than she has. She had the same attitude, looks (even if matured), scent and memories as Inuyasha's Miko. The only indication she might be telling the truth is the length of her hair and her aura. Her aura was quite powerful and had overwhelmed him almost instantly, making him feel her relaxation and tranquillity as if it was his own. It took him a while to know that what he was feeling was an aura. He gazed upon the forest, looking at nothing in particular. The images she shared with him were quite interesting, as some of them, he knew, never happened. Thinking about those, in particular, made him lick his lips.


	2. Familiar faces

When morning came, Kagome could feel her whole body screaming in protest as she forced herself up to sit. Her hair was a tangled mess since she didn't braid it before sleeping. Idly, she wondered how Inuyasha or his jerk of a brother kept theirs so smooth. She remained seated on her sleeping bag, hands on her face to block the annoying light. Breathing in as much air as she could, and letting it out slowly, she lowered her hands. The place was quite beautiful and she soaked in its peace and quiet. For about five seconds.

"Miko." She heard the baritone voice call her from his tree and she looked at him, eyes filled with sleepness and the increasing wish to throw a rock in his direction.

"Good morning to you too..." She responded, concentrating on making her body function again.

"This one has questions. You will answer them."

"Uh-huh…" She said, slowly rising from the ground. Closing her eyes again, she stretched and a few satisfying snaps escaped her body, while she let out a satisfied groan. While doing that, she checked if her aura was properly contained. She automatically concentrated on retreating it when waking up, glad to find it hadn't reached Sesshomaru during the night. It was a process that became a habit as quickly as the change happened. When she opened her eyes again, she was greeted by a very impatient Sesshomaru standing in front of her. She looked at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Will you at least give me time to freshen up?" She asked him. He narrowed his eyes, but agreed, walking to the other side of the hot springs. She began rolling her sleeping bag, once finished, she could hear fabric moving about. _Is he...?_ She looked in the direction he went. The shuffling continued.

"Are you going to bathe?" Nothing but the sound of boots being put down. _Ah, he is._ She looked down at her dirty Miko garments, remembering how she pushed him to his back and cradled him to be able to land the spell. Her fingers found her lips on their own accord. It was only a second, but she felt how warm and soft his lips were. Blushing at the thought, she pushed it aside. She is not a teenager anymore for goodness sake, it wasn't even a kiss. Getting up, she took her supplies back to the spring and began stripping. She heard him enter the water and after a folding her kimono, she entered too. The wall separating them. She put her hair up in a loose knot, there was no need to wash it again. As she used her soap, a thought crossed her mind.

"Sesshomaru?" Silence. "Do you have any bathing supplies with you? I don't see Ah-Un anywhere." More silence. She rolled her eyes and grabbed her beaten up shampoo bottle, throwing it to his side. The sound of it hitting something solid and then water told her she accidentally hit him. The angry growl was a hint as well, but she ignored that. "Sorry! It's hair soap. You can sniff it before using to see if you'd like it." She continued bathing and heard him open the bottle and after a few seconds, she heard the content being squeezed out. _He liked it._ She smiled to herself as she dunked her body to get rid of the soap foam. She was about to throw him said soap when the shampoo bottle hit her head and then the water.

"Ow!" Kagome massaged her scalp and heard a faint 'hn' behind her, her smile got a bit wider as she pictured his smug smirk. Then, she threw him the soap, this time aiming a bit to the left of where she aimed the bottle, only to receive another growl. "Aw come on! How was I supposed to know you moved?!" She said, having a hard time containing her giggles. After getting out of the water and drying herself, she took the extra towel she had and hanged it on the wall dividing the spring. She saw it quickly slipping to his side and felt glad he accepted her help. After she was clothed, she undid her thick hair bun and let it down to brush it. She heard him get out of the water, a blush crossed her face as she briefly imagined a naked Sesshomaru.

Kagome was finishing her braid when the daiyoukai walked over to her, the soap resting on top of a neatly folded towel on his hand. She took them with a smile and arranged them on the backpack, putting the soap on the plastic case she brought from her time. After getting set up to continue on her way to Edo, she said she would answer his questions while they walked. The stoic Lord just followed.

Everything about this girl screamed that she was who she claimed. Her mannerism, her strange bag and items, even her memories. It all fit, except for her aura and the time discrepancy. He didn't feel it since she tackled him down, not even when she slept. He could tell that her presence was different to him because she had matured, humans did that. She held her head high, a posture claiming confidence. He did feel that in Rin as well, but only after a longer period of time. For one year, this was a rough change. But then again, she claimed she was away for seven years, not one. That puzzled him greatly. When they reached the road again, he began.

"You claim to be the Shikon no Miko, but your aura is… _different._ How did you change it?" She eyed him curiously, seeing those thin eyebrows furrow in thought as he observed her.

"Well, I want to answer all your questions, but I have some of my own that you'll probably ask. Please do keep that in mind." She needed to understand this time discrepancy, it didn't make sense. When the 'hn' reached her ears, she continued. "Well, when I learned that Kikyou returned, I remained in the village to care for my kit. But he had to leave to train and since I was weak and always needed assistance defending myself, I left for the temple to become stronger. I spent three years back in my time after the jewel was gone. I used that time wisely and learned a number of things that could help me adapt to this era, one of them was the location of temples throughout the country. The one that popped the most in my research was the Western temple, on the mountains. There was something about it that just… called to me.

So I prepared and travelled. When I got there they taught me how to control my reiki, one on one combat with a few weapons. I spent seven years there, minus the time I travelled." She felt his intense gaze on her, but continued on. "The difference you feel on my aura is due to my training. I didn't just learn to control my power, I've learned to expand it. Having my soul torn for so long had its cost on me. I intended to come back after three years, but after I learned how I could grow in strength, I wanted to become as strong as my body and soul would allow. After a while, some things changed and my Senseis could no longer help me, so I came back. I missed my kit and even though youkai age slower, I didn't want to miss more of his life that I've already had. It was very hard for me to leave him behind."

"Hn. What has changed?" He asked her, trying to ignore the time difference since she seemed to not know about it either.

"Well…" She didn't really like what her aura could do now. It was useful, yes, it saved her from the daiyoukai that was now casually asking questions. But she felt it was wrong to use it. So she had to forcefully keep it to herself, she was still trying to understand why it would spread on its own like a dog trying to run away."It can… control emotions, per say. I can influence them with my own, that probably is what caught your attention last night." She blushed, not wanting to think about it. _I hope he doesn't pick up on the arousal thing._ "It is also how I've managed to stop you for two seconds so I could land my spell." She also blushed fervently at the memory.

"But most auras can influence and show emotions. I see no difference."

"It's different, you can know about someone's distress through their aura, but you won't feel it _yourself_. But mine… it… it forces people to feel what I'm feeling." She whispered. She hated admitting it, but that's how it was. Sesshomaru was more than intrigued, he had more questions than when he began the conversation, but a part of him soothed. That explained the sudden relaxation and arousal when coming close... _This bitch._

Kagome had begun to explain how she didn't control it when suddenly she was slammed against a tree, claws carving into her neck. She felt as his venom entered her veins, being purified almost instantly when touching her blood. Her reiki pulsed and she felt it wanting to defend her against Sesshomaru, but if she let loose a bit, everything would follow, and he would become ash. _I don't want that, it isn't his fault. Rin._ Sesshomaru's red eyes locked on hers as her tears flowed freely all the way to his hand.

"Sess-" He tightened his grip to make her stop talking. He was beyond pissed. He wanted her dead.

"How _dare_ you humiliate this Sesshomaru _."_ Kagome knew what he meant, she needed to explain. With all her might, fighting to stay awake as oxygen became scarce in her blood, she sent a bit of her aura gently to his. Too gentle. His aura was flashing and his ire was great, he didn't even notice her influence. She wasn't exactly in a calming mood either.

"I didn't… mean…" As she was about to pass out when he let go of her. Kagome gasped sharply, she could hear a voice shouting in the distance, the voice pleaded and cried. Sesshomaru still eyed her on the ground, she could feel his gaze, his ire against her. _I'd be pissed too, but come on! At least let me finish talking!_

She felt as two little hands touched her shoulders, she could see the tears hitting the ground and how she was yelling for Kagome. _Don't pass out, don't pass out._ _ **Don't.**_ Her mantra seemed to work as oxygen began to circulate in her veins again, letting her brain work. Gasping for air she could listen to familiar voices in the distance. She felt a distinct presence begin to approach, and with renewed determination, she stood up. Her foggy view focused on the spiked armor, following up to golden eyes that weren't looking at her, but at Rin. Regret and anger swirling on them, contrasting with his stoic expression. She could hear people calling her name over and over and she lifted a hand to silence them. The Lord watching her with pure anger and disgust on them.

"A-A.." She tried saying, but nothing came out. Closing her eyes, she brought her right hand to her sore neck and let her power flow to it and do its job. As she felt the pressure and pain leave her throat, she once again looked at Sesshomaru. She squared her shoulders and stared at him with fierce determination swirling in her blue eyes.

" _As I was saying._ I'm not fully capable of controlling it. I can feel things and not be able to stop others from feeling them through my aura. It requires concentration to keep it to myself all the time. Something I didn't have when I was _bathing and relaxing in a hot spring._ If anything, it was your fault to approach me when I was so vulnerable. I had to say something for you to give me some space, as I did not want to hurt you to do so." Without another word, she turned and took Rin's hand, who was hiding behind her. _The poor thing is trembling! If she didn't love this clueless idiot… Ugh!_ She scolded herself mentally, he wasn't mad because of what he felt. He was mad because she _made_ him feel it, and had the gut to comment on it. But she was too hurt to care or admit. She didn't do it on purpose, he was invading her space and he didn't let her finish. He just assumed she wanted to humiliate him when all she wanted was privacy.

She turned to continue her walk to the village, fighting the tears that wanted to roll again. She saw as Shippo ran to her, she kneeled next to Rin, she let her kit embrace her as she embraced both children. She let out a sob, only one. She refused to cry because of a male again, independent of the reason. Standing up with Shippo on her shoulder and taking Rin's hand, she continued walking to find Kaede. She was ever so lucky that she was out and about picking herbs and teaching the kids.

Sesshomaru just stood there. When he saw the Rin's face, his world collapsed. She was crying, she was scared. Of him _._ He despised his brother so much when he behaved rudely and made Rin cry. He hated the scent of her tears. And then there was what the Miko said. It ringed over and over in his head. The arousal he felt was mild when he was in the springs, but the thought that she _forced it_ on him, and had the gut to comment on it. It pissed him off. And she says she did that not to _hurt_ him? _Him?_ If it wasn't for Rin, she would've died right there for her ridiculous belief that she could bring harm to his person. Still, he needed to think about all of this. With that resolve in mind, he flew away.

"Lady Kagome, are you really ok?" Rin asked for the tenth time as she walked beside her, holding her hand.

"Yes Rin, I am fine. It doesn't hurt anymore, see?" She moved her thick braid back to show the girl her neck. Rin looked at the faded half moons on her neck, but Kagome's smile assured her.

"Mama?" Shippo called for her attention after a few moments.

"Hm?"

"How come your hair grew so much? It's only been one cycle!" He was bewitched by Kagome's changes. If it wasn't for his nose and instincts, he wouldn't believe this was his mama. He felt her shoulder tense.

"Ah, _that._ It'll be a long story, so I'll tell when everyone is together ok?" She suggested, and he nodded, embracing her neck again. He had missed her so much and was quite depressed when she left, but followed her advice and gave his all on his Kitsune training. He wanted to be strong and determined like his mama was. He knew she became much more powerful.

"Shippo, aren't you supposed to be training?" She asked him, curious.

"We have a three-day break every two weeks. I just got here today!" He beamed at her, happy her arrival coincided with his. Kagome smiled back, she would be able to spoil him for three whole days!

Kaede listened to Kagome talking to the children. The elder Miko walked a bit ahead, still processing what she saw. She couldn't believe the look Kagome pulled from the stoic Lord, and she knew the young woman didn't even notice, her ire and hurt too great for that. She was most curious about the changes in the young Miko but held her tongue for now.

Kagome felt relieved when she approached the village. She was expecting her heart to throb painfully at the nostalgia, but it was at ease, much for her pleasure. With a playful thought, she sent a bit of her aura to her friends, giving a hint that someone was home. Immediately she heard doors slamming open and watched, amused, as Sango ran to her. Miroku came after, his younger boy in his arms while watching over the twins as they tried to reach their mom. _I can't wait to spoil their kids!_ Kagome put Shippo down and ran to her friend. They embraced each other tightly. Kagome had missed Sango so much.

"I'm so glad you are back! The kids have missed you!" Sango gave Kagome some space, holding her shoulders to look at her. Her eyes widened. "Kami above, have you been away for only a year?!" Sango could barely believe her eyes. Kagome's features matured tremendously, her teenage softness long gone replaced by sharper features, her cheekbones were more prominent, slightly elongating her once round face. Her eyes held something that wasn't there before, but the kindness remained. Kagome giggled at her comment.

"I've been getting that a lot." She smiled at her friend. Kagome greeted Miroku and picked up the little boy, talking to him and tickling him, the child liked her already. Then she went to talk to the twins. It was a lovely morning. They sat on the grass bank and caught up, the kids playing in front of them. Rin would stop from time to time to look at the road or search the skies. The wish to punch Sesshomaru was growing by the minute. While talking about her training, Kagome beat around the bush a bit about a few details, like her aura or the fact that she had to squeeze seven years in one. She knew once mentioned, these facts would cause a ruckus. Kagome excused the length of her hair as a part of her power growth, and it seemed to suffice. She knew Inuyasha was in the village, but she would leave him be, he was tending to someone. When the sun began to peak, Kagome said she would get lunch for them, as a treat. Both Miroku and Sango looked surprised.

"I'll leave my stuff at Kaede's and change, I'll be back with meat." With a smile, she trotted away to the hut. She put her yellow backpack on a corner and took her Miko garbs off, leaving behind only her fighting suit. The outfit she was wearing fit her snugly, the black fabric contrasting against the blue details. She asked Sango to teach her how to make a suit like her own before she began her travels. The only difference between Sango's suit and hers is that she had a few runes sewn on it. The runes enabled her to infuse the suit with Reiki and make it as sturdier. She grabbed her matching cape and put it on her back, tying it on the front. She didn't mind using only the suit, but Kami, the men in this era were just… rude _._ How Sango handled it when travelling as a slayer was beyond her. Kagome locked on her waist a belt with a few pouches and a sheathed dagger.

All set, she swirled her braid on a bun and secured it, leaving the hut and running towards the forest. She was starving and needed a big prey for lunch. She walked for about ten minutes into the forest, picking berries to eat here and there and sensing for animals. She caught the energy of a herd close to the creek. _Perfect, I'll be able to skin and clean it, then clean myself right away._ As she approached, Kagome searched the herd for a fair prey. She caught the glimpse of the oldest creature and readied her bow, placing the arrow and pulling the cord. Not breathing, she let it go. The herd only heard the doe's cry. Kagome calmly stood up as they scrambled away, leaving the injured behind. She sent her aura to the doe, soothing her and distracting it from the pain and fear.

"Thank you for your sacrifice." She said softly, killing the doe with a swift movement of her dagger. Once the body stopped moving, she got up and looked over her shoulder. "Enjoying the show, Inuyasha?"


	3. Be careful what you wish for

Inuyasha felt the slight jolt of happiness, feeling as if something finally came home. He looked at Kikyou, who was meditating and seemed to not notice. He got up and peeked from his hut. Instead of the woman he was expecting, he saw a strange Miko. He watched as she ran to Sango and hugged her, her long braid swaying around.

Inuyasha didn't know what was wrong, the woman resembled Kagome, but something was off. He wanted to go inspect, but for some reason, he was scared to. He looked back inside the hut at Kikyou, still meditating. She did that for hours on end when she was in a bad mood, and today was one of those days. She was recently pupped and would be having his child in about five months. He was proud and happy with his life and mate.

Inuyasha heard movement again, and when he looked, the priestess was gone. Furrowing his brows, he looked around until he saw her leaving Kaede's hut in what resembled a slayer outfit with a cape, her braid pinned up in a bun. Then, the woman ran. She ran as fast as he could, disappearing into the forest.

"Kikyou, I'll be hunting something for lunch." He informed his mate, a hurry hidden behind his words.

"Okay, if you could be so kind and bring me a few berries, I'd be grateful." She smiled at him. He nodded and ran in the direction the woman went. As he caught her scent, he knew it was Kagome. Her scent stuck with him from the moment they met, the flowery sweetness with a hint of citrus was quite pleasant to his sensitive nose. As he stalked her, he noticed she didn't make a sound as she walked. Her head turned left and she quickly ran towards the creek, and he followed. He watched as she crouched, taking her bow in hands, and readied an arrow. With a slight whisper, the arrow shot through the woods and hit a doe. The herd was only aware of the menace because of the doe's cry. He watched with awe as the doe stopped squirming and relaxed, awaiting its fate by the hands of the miko. She relieved the doe of her suffering, stood up and looked over her shoulder, directly into his eyes.

"Enjoying the show, Inuyasha?" She said, a smile playing on her rosy lips.

He walked to her and she turned to face him. He looked at her features, his eyes narrowing. She resembled Kagome, but her features were sharper, more mature. Her body was curvier and defined, the tight outfit displaying muscles instead of the softness he was used to. And her aura had a different feel to it, so he doubted his nose for the first time.

"Who are you?" He asked. She immediately frowned.

"Does idiocy run in the family? It's me!" She flicked a finger on his forehead, and to his surprise, it hurt.

"What was that for?! And I don't know who you are! You may look like someone I kno-" He was interrupted by a soft 'Sit!', it was the lightest command he had ever received. It was almost like he tripped and fell on his face. It didn't even leave a crater on the ground. "Kagome?!" He looked up, she was smiling at him.

"Of course you idiot, who else can 'it' you?" She was surprised when he quickly jumped up and hugged her. _Huh… now I am wondering if this is Inuyasha._

"Why did you leave so suddenly? I thought you would never come back…" He told her, his ears slightly drooping. He was so scared he had hurt her beyond forgiveness, and when she decided to leave, his heart folded over itself. She heard the worry in his voice and pat his back, comforting him.

"I said I was going to make myself stronger, didn't I? I was just tired of being a burden is all…" _And I needed to move away from you, it hurt so much_. She complemented mentally. As he let go of her, he let her braid loose and gently pulled it over her shoulder accompanying it with his fingers, mesmerized at the softness and length.

"Stop it." Her cold voice made him look at her, her face was serious, a slight blush quickly fading away.

"So-sorry." He stuttered while watching her turn and pick the hind legs of the doe, carrying her a bit closer to the creek. He sat in silence beside her as she skinned and cleaned the carcass. A growl was heard and she stopped moving. Kagome's face was tomato red and Inuyasha began to laugh.

"Shut it! I've been almost a full day without food!" She said, turning her attention to the doe again.

"Why didn't you eat? You can clearly hunt." He asked, the laughter still playing in his voice.

"I was interrupted by someone." She stated, trying to shove the memories away.

"Who?" His interest peaked.

"Doesn't matter who." She stated angrily, she just wanted to eat. And to her dismay, someone let his presence become noticeable. Groaning internally, she looked the way she came just in time to hear him speak.

"Are you sure about that?" Sesshomaru's baritone voice ringed in their ears. He stood between the trees, about five meters away from both of them. Before Inuyasha could yap his mouth, Kagome stood and turned to face Sesshomaru.

"I'm pretty sure. What difference does it make which idiot stopped me from having dinner." She asked in a cold voice. She knew it would piss him off. She couldn't care less, her guard was up and he wouldn't hurt her anymore.

"Watch your tongue, Miko." He warned her. Kagome just narrowed her blue eyes at him.

"Whatever. What do you want?" She asked him.

"This Sesshomaru wishes to speak with you." He declared. Her mind wandered to the incident earlier, wondering if she should… Her thoughts were interrupted by her stomach growling for food again. _That sounded like a goddamn whale call! Just kill me now…_ She bowed her head a bit and pressed both of her hands on her face to hide her mortification. Inuyasha was snickering beside her.

"Can this wait? I really need to eat." She said, not looking up.

"Hn." Was his only reply, and more than happy with that, she turned to finish her task, knowing that both their gazes were on her. _Thank Kami I'm almost finished._ After a couple of minutes, she was taking the clean carcass back to the village, Inuyasha by her side and Sesshomaru behind them. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, what did he want from her? He was pissed this morning, and she thought he wouldn't really take into consideration what she said. Especially after he realised what she did. It wasn't on purpose, no, but she commented on it to embarrass him, and it worked. _I was able to embarrass fricking Sesshomaru. I must have a deathwish._ She chuckled. Inuyasha, looking at her expressions, could only wonder what his jerk of a brother wanted with her. When she chuckled, his brows furrowed.

"Kagome, why would _Sesshomaru_ want to talk to _you?"_ He asked, and the little jump she gave at the question didn't please him. Adjusting the carcass on her shoulder, she replied.

"It is probably because of this morning, I met with him on the way here. You don't need to worry though." She told him.

"Do you want me to go with you?" He asked her, looking over his shoulder at Sesshomaru, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. Sesshomaru wasn't looking at him though, his attention was solely on Kagome.

"That won't be necessary, but thanks Inuyasha." She smiled at him genuinely. He still wanted to protect her after all this time. Well, it has been only a year for him, but still. He blushed and turned to look away with a 'keh'. She giggled at his reaction. "So, I felt something different about Kikyou. Care to share what the change is about?" She inquired with a smirk on her lips. Kagome knew exactly what it was about, and Inuyasha's increasing blush made her giggle again. "When's the pup due?" She asked him, feeling happy for her friend.

"Around five months from now." He said, his head still turned the other way but she could see the soft smile on his lips.

"Have you figured out how she came back to life in a living body? I still have my full soul on me." She questioned. She appeared a year before Kagome got back to stay permanently. She avoided any question about Kikyou's return, there was much more hurtful information for her mind to accept already, and she really didn't care. Questioning wouldn't make her go away or make Inuyasha choose Kagome instead.

"I don't really know, and she doesn't remember. She says she woke up leaned against Goshinboku, she remembered everything from our fight with Naraku, and immediately ran to the village." He responded. It was the first time Kagome asked about Kikyou, and as he watched her face, he couldn't see hurt there anymore. He felt kind of hurt himself, she had gotten over him so fast.

"Hm…maybe my Senseis know something about it. I completely forgot to ask in the se- YEAR, in the single, only year… I've been there." She could see Inuyasha tilt his head at her sudden burst of words, and fought herself to not look at Sesshomaru. Inuyasha picked up on that and looked at his half-brother, who in return just lift an eyebrow.

 _Gotta pay more attention to what I say. Jeez! That could've gone out of hand, especially with Inuyasha being loud the way he is._ As she scolded herself mentally, they reached the edge of the forest, and as they passed it she noticed Sesshomaru stopped following. She looked back at him in question.

"This Sesshomaru will wait for you here." He informed her, earning a quirked eyebrow. Sesshomaru had every intention of following the Miko. However, the memory of Rin's scared little face made him stop when he saw the village.

"Why aren't you coming?"

"..." Kagome tilt her head at his silence. She saw something unusual on the Lord's eyes. He was… unsure? Worried? She thought about what could possibly make him not want to enter the village. _Oh._

"Rin has calmed down since this morning." She tried assuring him, earning the slightest lift of his thin eyebrows.

"..."

"I didn't sense any fear coming from her, well, not directed towards you anyway. She was just scared what might've happened to me. She kept glancing toward the skies looking for you." She sensed Inuyasha stiffen beside her.

"What did you do to Kagome, you asshole?!" He turned abruptly towards Sesshomaru, eyes flickering with anger. He was about to walk towards him when Kagome extended her arm in front of him, making him stop.

"It's okay, it was my fault." She smiled toward Inuyasha, reassuring him. Both males had their eyes wide and fixed on her. "I won't force you, but Rin wants to see you. Make an effort to go to her, 'kay? Oh, and Ah-Un is beside Kaede's hut." With that said, she turned and walked to the village.

Sesshomaru was confused. He had thought about what the priestess said and came to the conclusion he should've given her space when he found her, she said what she did to move him away. With the information she gave him, things started to make more sense and he felt he rushed to conclusions in his anger. He still had questions he wanted to be answered. She intrigued him and he didn't like it. He needed to satiate his curiosity so he could leave behind this weird sensation that pulled him towards her. And now she says it was her fault? What's with this woman. He watched as she walked towards the village, the half-breed still staring at him.

He turned to Inuyasha and raised an eyebrow.

"What did you do to her?" He inquired, his anger coating the words with a snarl.

"That is none of your business." He stated. He was about to return to the forest when he saw Rin running towards him, a smiling Kagome stood from where Rin came running.

"Kagome has the habit of blaming herself for everything, so I won't believe when she says it was her own fault. She's under my protection and if you touch her again, you'll be dealing with me." Inuyasha stated. He knew his friend too well. Sesshomaru, not really caring, just watched Rin.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She ran towards him and launched herself on his leg.

"Rin." She looked up and beamed at him. It was almost like this morning's events didn't happen.

"Rin was wondering if milord wouldn't come back. Rin was worried." Her smile turned into a frown. He pat her head with a clawed hand to reassure her.

"This Sesshomaru would never leave you." He told her, watching, satisfied, as a grin made its way back on her adorable face. "Jaken." The imp came running from the forest to bow in front of him. He was always nearby.

"Y-yes, milord?"

"Hand to Rin the kimonos. Watch over her." He ordered and watched as the imp bowed and walked away grumbling with Rin by his side.

With his chest a bit lighter, he turned and walked to the forest again, disappearing from view.

Inuyasha wanted to follow him and beat the guy up, he knew the asshole hurt Kagome, but he wanted to spend time with her and the gang. Also, he didn't know if he could take on Sesshomaru, and now he had a pup on its way, he didn't want to worry his mate. With that in mind, he left the berries he picked up on his way back for Kikyou, and went to his friends.

The day passed by in a blink, and when Kagome knew it, twilight was upon her. After dinner, she was having a chat with the group about their time while she was away. She saw Inuyasha returning after he went to his hut to spend time with Kikyou, who refused to come see her, and when she looked into his light golden eyes, something clicked. _Shit! Shit shit shit shit!_ She scrambled up on Kaede's hut, Shippo jumping from her lap, all eyes on her.

"Kagome what is it?" Sango asked, she felt Kirara's pur subside on her shoulder as she looked up. Her baby boy in her arms observing everything.

"Ah… I-I've forgotten I have something to do!" She said picking her belongings. She kneeled and opened her arms for Shippo, he jumped at them, gladly accepting her embrace. "I will be back in the morning, Shippo. I won't stay too long away from everyone again, especially you."

"Why can't you spend the night here, mama?" A pout formed on his cute face. He wanted to cuddle up to her. Her heart broke at the thought that maybe she would never be able to cuddle with Shippo again.

"It's a bit complicated. I'll explain tomorrow. Trust me, okay?" She felt his slight nod, and giving him a kiss on the head, she put him down and said goodbye to everybody, running at a ridiculous speed as soon as she left the hut. Everybody looked at each other wondering what the hell happened, only Inuyasha understanding where she went. The only thing he didn't get was why she needed to spend the whole night out.

Kagome ran as fast as her reiki infused legs let her, her cape swishing against the wind. She went to the forest where Sesshomaru said he'd be waiting and pulse her reiki around her to find him. She frowned when she couldn't feel him anywhere. _Maybe he left._ She looked back at the village, pondering again if she should sleep there. Memories of unpleasant nights on the temple flooded her mind and convinced her that no, she shouldn't. With a heavy sigh, she walked deeper into the forest and didn't stop until she found a clearing that she felt was far enough. Once there she prepared her camp, then went to the creek and washed herself, also washing her soiled miko clothes. She let her hair loose so it could dry and returned to camp, where she extended her clothes on a branch to dry, and sat down, sighing. She didn't like the blue yukata she was currently wearing, but she wouldn't sleep on her suit. She made a mental note to either make more clothes or buy them. _I'll sell some potions, maybe healing salves. People always need those._

Kagome analyzed the clearing, a thought coming to mind. _Perhaps I can make a hut far away from the village, that way I won't have to build a camp every time._ She pondered and decided it was a good plan. She couldn't camp forever. She sent a pulse of reiki around her to scare off any low demons, closing her eyes to appreciate the wind blowing on her face. It was almost summer, so the light breeze was quite welcome. She felt the tears making their way down her cheeks, and she let them. For once she would cry for herself, she would cry for her kit, she would cry for her loneliness. She's been denying those tears for so long, always holding them in. Her sad peace was quite short-lived, however.

"Why do you cry, Miko?" The baritone voice came from the other side of the clearing. She half opened her eyes to see Sesshomaru leaning on a tree, facing her.

"Hm… I thought you had left." She told him.

"You seemed to have forgotten, so this Sesshomaru patrolled the area in the meantime. Now answer my question."

"I cry because I can't be near my son during the night." She said, her gaze unfocusing and blurring him away.

"Why is that?" He asked her. She let a sad smile come across her face.

"I could tell you, but where's the fun in that. Stick around and you'll see." She spoke with a low voice, wondering if he would stay. She wished she had a camera to be able to record Sesshomaru trembling with fear. That'd be a sight.

"This One spent the night close to where you rested and felt nothing different." He stated to her. She chuckled lightly.

"Well, yeah, but that's because I used a very energy consuming spell after I spent my reiki tackling down a certain someone. That would make anyone exhausted enough to not have any dreams." Kagome knew she would have nightmares about the fight from the night before or from this morning. Even if she didn't fear him like that anymore, her mind was the biggest asshole it could be to her, and she would wake up either sobbing or screaming.

"Speaking of said spell, this One would like to talk about some images you shared." He said. Something in his voice made Kagome sit upright. His eyes held a glint of wicked amusement. She knew immediately she wouldn't like this conversation.

"Ok… What do you wish to discuss?" She asked him as she cleaned her face, trying hard to think about what she showed him, but only the fights came to mind.

"You seem to have shared memories of encounters that this Sesshomaru does not recall happening." Kagome tilted her head, trying to understand what he was saying. She passed to him all the memories she had of him, how come he didn't… _Oh, shit._

Sesshomaru watched with poorly concealed amusement as Kagome's face went from confusion, to deep thought, to realisation and finally mortification. She froze, staring at him, her heart trying to escape her throat and her cheeks burning. In the past she has had a few… indecent dreams about Sesshomaru. _Someone just kill me now, it's the second time I'm asking._

She opened her mouth to speak once, and closed it. She did it once more, but nothing came out, so she closed it again. She watched as Sesshomaru stood up and casually walked over, stopping right in front of her. He crouched until his eyes were level with hers. He leaned in closer, one hand on the ground to support his weight, and she pressed her eyes shut. She could feel his cheek lightly touch hers as he put his mouth dangerously close to her ear, his breath sending shivers all over and, with a deep voice that made her hair stand, he told her.

"Now I know why you were aroused." If Kagome could explode, she would. The amusement on his voice was clear and Kagome just wanted to disappear with a 'pop', much like Shippo does. She didn't move as Sesshomaru stood upright again, but she did see his smirk. He got his revenge for what she did to him. She stood up as well.

Kagome was having a very hard time breathing, she held it the moment she realised how close he was to her. If she breathed right now, her aura would escape her grasp and tell him exactly what she was feeling. The memories of those dreams and his proximity to her did things to her body that she would never admit, turning her shame into something else, something she wasn't used to. _Stupid Inu with his stupidly handsome face, and stupidly sexy voice..._

She felt her chest cramping and she knew she would involuntarily breathe again. So, with the little control she had, she let her breath out and made her aura shoot back instead of around. To her surprise, it worked, her focus not letting her aura spread forward. She didn't need more teasing, she had enough for a lifetime. Slowly, with shaky legs and a very red face, she took a step back, looking at the smug smirk plastered on his face.

"You said you needed concentration to keep your aura contained, this one is impressed." He could almost feel the heat coming from her, her arousal had invaded his nose the moment he felt their cheeks touch, a strawberry sweet scent. Wanting to tease her just a bit more, he bent and hovered his lips on her neck, his eyes fixed on her face to see what she'd do. Torturing her after what she did to him felt very good, he couldn't get enough of it.

Once his breath hit her skin, she lost it. Her aura, filled with need and lust, washed over the both of them and Sesshomaru's eyes went instantly red as he sank his fangs on Kagome's neck. She cried out and tried to push him away, feeling his energy entering her through the bite, only to find his arms pulling her closer as he let go of her neck to start licking, kissing and nipping his way up towards her face.

"Sess-Sesshomaru sto-" He shut her up with his lips, his tongue invading her mouth, flooding her with the taste of her own blood. Something sparked inside of Kagome and her response was instant. He let out a satisfied growl as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Kagome spent eight years without touching anyone this way, and being kissed like this by someone as attractive as Sesshomaru felt like a dream. She was so tempted to let him do as he pleased, this felt so _damn good,_ but it was wrong. With all the will she could muster, she fisted her hands on his hair and yanked his head back. He let out a snarl as his lips left hers, but she wouldn't let him close again. She lifted her gaze to meet his.

"You don't want this, this is me alone. Stop." He growled at her again while she concentrated to retreat her aura from him. As they calmed down she let go of his hair, sliding her hands to his chest, his eyes never left hers and his embrace didn't budge. She watched as his gaze turned golden again just before he closed his eyes.

"Sess-"

"Silence." His voice was hoarse. She tried pushing but he tightened his hold on her, so she waited. After about a minute, he spoke again.

"Why do I still desire you?" He asked, more to himself than to her. She blushed and smiled sadly at him.

"It's just the after effects." She said, trying to justify it. She didn't want him to like her because he was forced to. She wanted him to like her for who she was, and she knew it was impossible. The only human he liked was Rin, and she was a daughter to him. Plus, she didn't even know if _she_ wanted anything to do with him, Inu demons were nothing but trouble, especially the ones within this family in particular.

Kagome felt the tears threatening to pool in her eyes and she shut them tight, angry at herself. She didn't want to think about how she wasn't good enough, _again._ She felt him letting her go and opened her eyes to watch as he simply walked away, leaving her alone in the clearing. And when she knew he was far enough, she let her tears roll freely once again. The thought that he would only look at her because her aura forced him to was heartbreaking.


	4. Actions and reactions

**So, this chapter has a weird lemon, thus the mature rating.**

 **Hope you enjoy, I had a lot of fun writing Sess' reaction**

Sesshomaru arrived at his palace about five hours later (one of his quickest flights) ignoring anyone who spoke to him. The servants wisely moved out the way, as his aura was flashing with anger. He couldn't stop his growling as he walked to his study and then shut himself in there. That woman made him lose control completely. All he knew is that there was desire, and there was need, and then he acted on it. He paced around impatiently, trying to think. To his surprise, his beast spoke up.

 **She warned us.**

 _Hn._

 **We provoked her.**

 _But she can't be that powerful to bend_ _ **us**_ _to her will._

 **Her emotions became our own.**

 _How could an aura do such a thing? She could win wars if she wanted to._

 **That sounds interesting in a mate. Her lust is grand too, I wouldn't complain.**

 _Don't even start. Mating a human is out of the question._

 **You say that but I still feel our desire for her scent, her taste. This miko might be worth our time.**

 _No. She is human._

 **She's a** _ **powerful**_ **human.**

 _She is below us._

 **Let us help her then. She suffers and her honor would bind her to us.**

 _Hn. I need time to think._

* * *

Kagome woke up the next morning to a sore neck. Still dazed by sleep, she touched the source of discomfort. As she felt the punctures, her eyes widened, memories of the night before flooding in. She tried healing them, but nothing happened. She didn't move from her spot, letting her cheeks cool down. _Kagome, it meant NOTHING. He only did it because of your stupid uncontrollable aura. You need to go back to figuring this shit out, going on like this is not an option._

With that determined thought in mind, she stood up. Getting some dried meat from the day before and gathering a few berries and nuts, she had her breakfast. She sat on her sleeping bag and began to rustle through her stuff, until her hands grabbed what she wanted. She pulled out a blue fabric choker with a white dog's profile as a pendant, it was wide enough to cover Sesshomaru's little 'gift'. After that was in place, she began packing her camp once more. She needed to head to the village to ask for help on her new hut. It would hopefully be temporary and she would be alone in it, so it would be small and quick to build.

She put her backpack on her back and walked towards the creek, she had felt dried blood trailing from her neck to her mouth and needed to wash her face. With that done, she went to the village. It was pretty early so she decided to grab more berries and nuts along the way to make breakfast for Shippo. Once on the village, she dropped by Kaede's hut to leave her backpack there.

"Morning Lady Kaede."

"Ah, good morning Kagome. Had some trouble sleeping I see." Kagome looked at her in confusion, then grabbed a mirror from her backpack. She looked like she hasn't slept in a few days. She sighed and brushed it off as travel stress. She went ahead to talk to Miroku, Sango was with the kids under a tree, enjoying its shade. Kagome waved at them and when Shippo started to run in her direction, she dismissed him and told him she'd join in a few minutes. The kit nodded and went right back to playing.

"Miroku?" Kagome asked by the open panel, facing their living room. She heard him getting up to greet her.

"Good morning Lady Kagome. I see you have the need for a cup of tea." He said, a small smile in his face.

"I would very much appreciate it." Kagome knew he expected her to come talk to him. Everyone was puzzled on why she wouldn't sleep on the village, and Miroku guessed that it had something to do with her expanded powers.

Once sat, sipping tea, she began. "I needed to ask you if… if you could help me."

"What do you need?"

"Do you know if your master is still alive?" She asked shyly.

"Ah, he is, Hachiemon came bringing news a few days ago. Why do you ask?" Miroku was very curious now, why would Kagome want to talk to his master?

"I was hoping I could pay him a visit… I have some issues that I need to work on and they couldn't help me back at the temple." She told him, sighing.

"Maybe I can help you." He said, Kagome looked at him, he held a hopeful smile. _Oh well, it wouldn't hurt._

"I will tell you, but keep it a secret from the rest. I don't think I'm ready to talk openly about this yet."

"I give you my word." He said, lifting his right hand with his palm facing her. With a sigh, she explained to him what happened to her aura and why she wouldn't sleep close to the village. She also told him her plans on building a hut far enough from the village, so she could walk over to spend the day. Miroku had an intense thoughtful expression on his face. Once she was done explaining, she waited. He remained silent for a few minutes, until her spoke.

"I don't have the answer as to why this is happening, but I think I know someone who has. I'll contact him, however he is a wandering monk, so it'll take a while for him to get here." He smiled at Kagome's reaction. She had tears built up in her eyes and a hopeful smile. She hugged him, thanking him with all her heart. He nodded and she left to go to the children.

* * *

A month passed after that night with Sesshomaru, and Kagome's dreams didn't let her forget it. It was almost like it was yesterday. She hated herself for that, but it couldn't be helped. She would just wait it out like she always did, there was no way around it. Miroku's friend hasn't arrived yet but they got word from him, he wasn't far, a couple more days and maybe she would get some answers.

Kagome sat on the Well's clearing, meditating. She turned to training to take her mind off the daiyoukai, and it worked just fine. Inuyasha and Sango would train combat with her, although she ended up teaching them more than training.

She felt a small tug on her sleeve and opened her eyes to see Shippo beside her holding some dried fruit he brought. She smiled at him. It was his third visit from training since she came back, and he showed her what he learned each time. She was proud of her kit, he'd become great youkai.

"Thank you, sweetie." She took the kit and put him on her lap, and he would throw the fruit up and Kagome would attempt to catch it with her mouth. She hardly missed them, but when she did, Shippo was fast enough to catch it with his tiny hands. Unless he was giggling at Kagome's expression while trying to catch the food in her open mouth.

After eating, she just sat there in her meditation pose with Shippo on her lap. They would talk about his training, about 'Inubaka and his future pup, about the twins and their games. Kagome loved listening to him, he made her heart feel warm.

"Mama…"

"Hm?"

"Why would you make your hut so far from the village?" She dreaded this question, even with Shippo being understanding, she knew it was coming. It came from everyone else, and the first few nights she needed to put up a barrier to stop them from following her. Thankfully Miroku stopped Sango, Inuyasha however, was a problem. It took him more than two weeks to accept she wasn't staying within the village to sleep. But she would have to say the truth at some point, might as well explain to her son.

"Shippo, remember when you felt that my powers were different?" She asked him.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, that is because I've been discovering more and more about it. And as it grew, I learned to do something… that I wish I didn't." This was harder than she thought.

"And what's that?" He asked her, eyes curious and a bit scared. _A power someone wouldn't want…_

"Auras usually tell you how its owner is feeling or his intentions. Mine can do that, but it… it does it differently. If I am sad and let my aura over you, you'll become sad with me, whether I want it or not. I would be okay with this if I could control it like a normal aura, but it behaves differently now, it spreads on its own when I'm asleep or distracted. I try keeping it as contained as possible, but it is tiring." She smiled at Shippo, who's green eyes stared at her.

"So, answering your question. When I sleep, I'm susceptible to the emotions my dreams bring me. And since I can't concentrate to control my aura, it spreads as it pleases. So whatever I feel while dreaming will affect those around me... The first time I learned that this happened, I had a night terror. I was awoken by one of my senseis, I'll never forget the look on his face. I don't want anyone to feel these things." She caressed his cheek, wiping a tear away.

"But doesn't that mean you were feeling scared as well?" His voice was cracking, holding back sobs. The thought of his mama scared and alone made his heart ache. Especially because she wouldn't let him help.

"It does baby, but there's nothing I can do other than accept it. I intend to live in the village when I learn to control it. I'm working on it, don't worry." She reassured, hugging him. She could feel his tears on her shoulder and had to fight her own. She cursed the day she changed her aura. She idly wondered, once again, why was it so hard to contain. She didn't have a problem with it before, it took no effort whatsoever to keep it to herself. As she felt Shippo calm down, she noticed a familiar silhouette approaching from the forest. She put Shippo down and pet his hair.

"I think Haya and Hana are waiting to play with you." Shippo made a cute pout. She giggled at him.

"Go on, it's getting late, I'll hunt some rabbits for dinner. And what I told you is our secret!" Shippo's face lightened in a sad smile and he nodded, skipping towards the village. She watched him until he was out of sight, then looked in the opposite direction, letting out a low squeak when seeing Sesshomaru sitting beside her, in a meditative position. He had his eyes closed but she could see the small smirk on his lips. She puffed her cheeks in indignation, but let it go, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. With that in mind, she began her meditation once again.

She blocked away everything around her. With deep breaths, she began to see the swirling mist that was her power, light pinks moving with a bright white. She rummaged through it for the millionth time, feeling, searching for something she could use to learn how to control her aura. The only things she found were the remaining two 'seals' that were holding something back from her. That's what she called the spark of energy that usually meant she could increase her power.

Kagome felt herself frown. Those were the two 'seals' she wasn't able to remove, and her instincts told her that they held the answers she wanted. She began the process to try to break them like she broke the others, nothing. Her frustration was increasing with each failed attempt. _I don't want to be alone anymore._ She pleaded to the swirling light. She felt her tears roll down her cheeks. _Great, now I'm crying._

Suddenly she stopped. Kagome felt a light pressure on her, but it wasn't physical. She searched around the darkness and saw a faint light. _That… that's not mine._ She stopped blocking it out. Slowly but surely, a green mist with silver whisps began to form. _That's so pretty..._ She tried touching it and found out it was trying to comfort her. Something pulsed behind her and she abruptly gasped back to the clearing.

Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest, she gripped the fabric over it firmly. _What was that?_ Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder. She let it be there for now, she needed to stop panting and calm herself down first. With deep and long breaths, her heart went back to its usual rhythm. The hand left her shoulder and she turned her head to look at Sesshomaru. He was observing her, his expression the same as always.

For a moment she didn't know what to say, so she just looked him in the eyes, as if she was searching for something. She saw a glimpse of light and couldn't help but move closer, her nose almost touching his. He didn't move, his brows moving upwards slightly. Her blue eyes' intenseness was almost overwhelming. She focused on his black pupils and saw it, the green and silver faintly swirling about. Her eyes widened and she sat back, facing him.

"That… that was you?" She asked him, the awe in her voice was almost tangible.

"Hn." She was speechless. He was inside her center. She looked down, biting her lip in thought. Her teacher said that the center was a very intimate place, a place one could use to get to know one's power. To get to it you had to block out everything.

"How?" She asked simply. His hand reached for her neck and she tensed. Imagine her surprise when he lightly touched the bite mark on her skin instead of strangling her.

"I accidentally initiated the mating process with you." She blushed considerably, her eyes widening. "You have been hiding it, I suppose."

"How do you know that?" She had taken the choker off because of the heat. Shippo either saw it, but didn't question, or simply didn't see it.

"The half-breed would recognize it and question you about it." He said, lightly caressing her skin on that spot. She could feel the shivers his fingers sent all over her.

"I heard about youkai mating, but I don't know much about it." She stated, curious with what did it have to do with his invasion of her personal space.

"After mating, the couple share a very intimate bond. Their centers can be shared and their powers can be mixed about, some demons usually choose power over beauty because of that." He explained.

"Huh. Isn't the demoness who gets you as a mate lucky." She said before she could think about it, and looked to the forest, her cheeks blush deepening.

"Indeed." He said simply, she knew he held a smirk there for a bit. His hand traced the mark on her neck, feeling the light texture on her skin. She turned to look at him.

Blue met gold for a moment, and then a squeal made her jump and turn her head. Rin was jumping on the same spot on the trail to the village, giggles and squeals escaping her. Kagome's face burned as she sat facing the forest again.

"Rin." Sesshomaru called, he stood and made his way to her. It took the girl a few seconds to calm down. After that, she responded.

"Yes, milord?" She had a grin that went from ear to ear, her voice dripped with euphoria.

"Have this One not taught you not to spy on others?" He asked her.

"I'm sorry! Rin just couldn't contain her happiness knowing Lady Kagome will be my new mommy!" With that Kagome scrambled up, whole face red, got beside the child and whispered in her ear, her hand covering the exchange, creating the smallest of barriers to block the sound from Sesshomaru. Rin's eyes widened, but the grin stood in place. When Kagome leaned back up, Rin turned to Sesshomaru.

"See you later, Lord Sesshomaru!" She said with a bow and she ran back to the village, her giggles following her.

"What did you tell her?" He asked Kagome, while watching his ward skip away.

"Girl stuff." Kagome said, looking at him to see his eyebrow raising. But as she remembered what just happened, she looked away from that golden intensity, biting her lip.

"Miko."

"Hm…" She said, still avoiding his gaze.

"This One wishes to spend the night by your side." At this, she turned her head so fast she felt dizzy.

"W-w-what?! What do you mean?!" She asked.

"This Sesshomaru heard what you told the kit. This One wishes to experience what your senseis have, to see if he can assist you." He watched, intrigued, as Kagome was run over by fear.

"I… I don't think this is a good idea…" She felt flattered by his offer, but when she thought about the night terrors or indecent dreams she could have, it worried her.

"You seemed to not have a problem with this on the clearing. So why not now?" He held her gaze, her eyes held an old sadness in them. Like she felt like this for a long time now.

"My dreams are… I don't even know, really. And since that day in the clearing…" She looked to the side, the blush coming back and letting him know what she was talking about.

"Worry not, I will not attack you again." He answered her unspoken question. Looking at him, she saw the determination in his expression. He really wanted to help her.

"Ok then…" She picked the cloth choker from her pocket and wrapped her neck with it to cover the mark. Sesshomaru felt a bit offended by that, a possessive feeling he never felt before made its way to his chest. His beast wanted the mark visible, wanted the world to see she belonged to him. But she didn't, and he didn't want her, so he stomped that feeling down.

 **Don't want her but couldn't stop yourself from touching her.**

 _Go away._

His beast was adamantly set on helping the miko, it felt there was something more to discover and his logic side would then begin to agree with him. Suppressing his beast, Sesshomaru waited on the forest for the miko to return. She went hunting for her kit and told him she would be back in about three or four hours. It was dark when she returned. His nose picked up her sweet citrusy scent and he looked towards the trail that led to where he was. She had washed and wore a simple blue yukata, her hair was tied in a messy bun. She nodded to him and entered the forest. He jumped off his branch and followed.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they came close to a small hut placed on the edge of a clearing.

"Sorry if it feels cramped, I wasn't expecting anyone to be able to… sleep next to me." She informed him, and he gave his traditional 'hn'. The hut was small but there was space for him, he settled down on a corner after she started the fire. She looked anxious, fidgeting and looking out the door.

"Calm yourself, miko. It'll be fine." She looked back at him, a soft smile covering her lips. She settled down on her weird futon and inhaled deeply, sighing slowly. After tossing for a bit, she relaxed and let herself fall asleep.

It was instant, the feeling that he felt when she was in the springs the other day washed over him, calling for him. She was relaxed, but there was a hint of sadness in it, leaving Sesshomaru uncomfortable.

Her aura remained like that for two hours at least, until he heard her move about and another feeling came over him. His body began to heat up and his erection was almost instantaneous. His beast began to beg him to let it out so they could relieve themselves with the miko. He fought against it. As her dream went on, soft moans came from her lips and he had to walk outside not to harass the girl. _Kami, this woman is going to be the death of me._ He felt his beast wanted to comment on that but he tightened his restraint on it further.

Not wanting to leave her, he stood against the outside wall, the door next to him. The lust and pleasure from her aura assaulted him in ways he didn't imagine possible. He idly wondered if she was dreaming of him. This torture went on for about thirty minutes until something he did _not_ expect happened. Sesshomaru heard her prolonged moan and her aura forced her orgasm on him.

"Fuck!" He hissed as his body responded, waves of pleasure taking over him. He crushed the door frame, his back against the wall to hold his body from spasming as he reached his climax with her. He held the howl that came with it on his throat, and as she slowly calmed down, so did he.

His eyes were wide as he stared into the dark forest, trembling slightly. How was that even possible?! The girl just made him cum without touching him, without even being conscious. _This woman is a goddamn menace!_ His beast snickered in response to that thought. He ignored it and looked down to his hakama, a scowl on his face. They were dripping with semen. _Great, just great._

Her aura kept relaxed and quiet, a tone of satisfaction to it. He enjoyed that and at the same time didn't since he was currently cleaning his hakama the best he could. He thanked Kami for his mokomoko in times like these. He put his damp pants back on and couldn't suppress the growl at the uncomfortable sensation. And then he went back to waiting.

It was almost dawn when he felt weary and fear began creeping into his mind like a snake coiling itself on its prey. He didn't like it. In fact, he hated it. He rarely felt fear and for good reason. His most recent dread was when he was about to lose Rin, and that was years ago. He tried pushing her aura off him with his own, but they just mixed. He entered the hut so he could wake her up when a second wave of terror took a hold of him. Down on his knees, he struggled against his owns instincts, his own beast, as it wanted out to defend them against whatever could cause such terror. He was about to lose control when Kagome woke up with a scream. She brought a hand to her chest and her aura left him, calming him down almost instantly.

"Sesshomaru!" She got off her sleeping bag and kneeled next to him, holding his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I tried to warn you. I'm so sorry." He looked at her. She was crying and trembling. He got up and took her in his arms. "W-what are you doing?" Without a word, he sat where he once was, his mokomoko shielding her from his soiled hakama. He nuzzled her neck and began to growl. It was low and almost inaudible.

Kagome blushed when he dug his face on her, but as soon as she felt his growl against her, she soothed. It sounded like a pur. The memories from the night terror faded away slowly, and the fear with them. He was calming her down. She smiled at his gesture.

"Thank you." She told him in a whisper.

"Hn."

Sesshomaru had no idea what was going on. After feeling her sheer terror of whatever was happening in her nightmare, when he saw her face, all he wanted was to comfort her, make her feel safe. He acted most strangely around this miko.

At first when he attacked her, he saw no problem in doing so, she meant nothing to him. But then he realized how it would affect Rin, and his claws were bound, so he found another way to torment her. That backfired instantly and now she had his mark on her neck and he craved her taste and scent. Her blood was filled with power, it had left a hot trail on his throat that made his whole body scream for more. He promised himself not to provoke her in such a way, as he didn't want to mate her by accident, she was human after all. But one month passed and he still craved her, his beast wouldn't shut up about helping her, and he knew it had second intentions. Nonetheless, he relented, having her owe him with such power at her disposition would be most beneficial, and he convinced himself that's the only reason he returned to her. Although his beast knew much better. And now there she was, on his lap with him doing something that was intimate between mates while he let himself drown on her delicious scent.

They sat like that for about five minutes before he slowly leaned back from her. She looked at him with a blush adorning her face.

"Do you always have these?" He asked her.

"The night terrors? Sometimes. They tend to happen more often after deadly situations, they can happen every single night for one or two weeks." She told him. He thought about how he attacked her on the springs and on the road, a small pang of guilt throbbed through him.

"Miko, enlighten this Sesshomaru." He spoke, trying to change the subject.

"Shoot it." She smiled at him, feeling amused at his confusion on the saying.

"Can humans reach sexual satisfaction through dreams?" Her eyes widened, her cheeks burning as she remembered a _very hot_ dream she had a few hours ago.

"Did… did you…" She paid attention to the warm wetness between her thighs. _Did I… cum in my sleep?!_ She couldn't have... forced it on him, right? _Right?!_

"You reached it during your first dream, and yes, you made me reach it with you." Kagome didn't know where else to hide her face, so she hid it in his chest. _Kami. Why do you hate me so?_

Sesshomaru could feel the heat from her face against his clothed chest. He was actually glad she kept her aura to herself, he could tell she was mortified.

"Miko." She let out a whine to let him know she heard him. "You are the first female to pleasure me without touching me."

"Oh my GOD! SESSHOMARU!" She shot up and looked at him, her face red with an expression that just screamed embarrassment and disbelief on his indecent statement. But when she saw that he was _smiling_ and that mirth played in his eyes, she couldn't help but chuckle. A little bit of pride made its way to her chest. She put her hands on her face and let out a groan. "This is so embarrassing…"

He gently pulled her hands away from her face, then held her chin so she would face him. "I was the one who asked to spend the night next to you and was fully aware of what could happen. Lust and desire are completely natural, do not feel ashamed of how you feel." He watched, satisfied, as the heat on her cheeks softened. For some reason tormenting her wasn't that much fun anymore.

She smiled and moved her hand to his cheek. Her thumb caressed his burgundy stripes as she lost herself in his eyes, idly taking notice the markings had a different, softer texture. He watched those beautiful blue irises swirl with something he's never seen before, and felt her touch igniting something within him. He felt his mouth water as he began to remember her taste, her soft lips against his and her shy tongue dancing with his. He wanted to feel all of it. He _needed_ it.

Kagome felt him slowly leaning towards her, her heart began to race on her chest and she decided he was taking too long. She closed the distance between them and her lips met his, making a growled hum leave his throat _._ The kiss began to heat up and she wrapped her arms around his neck while moving to adjust her thighs beside his hips. Kagome let out a shy moan when she felt his erection against her heated core, only two thin cloths separating them. Sesshomaru growled in return and pulled her closer.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and left a hot sensation behind as she let her tongue dance with his. Sesshomaru's hands explored her, one of them invading her yukata to cup her lace covered breast, while the other began to move said clothing out of the way. She was biting his bottom lip and he was halfway done stripping her when a scream was heard.

"Kagome!" They heard Inuyasha yell. Sesshomaru couldn't contain his groan as Kagome took her lips away from him. She smiled at him, her cheeks burning, and begrudgingly left his lap to go outside, setting her yukata straight before going. She had instinctively placed a barrier outside when she woke up from the nightmare. She let it down and walked over to Inuyasha, pulling her hair over her shoulder to hide the mark. She wasn't ashamed of it, she just didn't want to hear it from the Hanyou.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked him, annoyed.

"I was hunting breakfast when I sensed your barrier, so I thought you were in…" He stopped when he saw Sesshomaru exiting after Kagome. "Why is he here?" The anger in his voice was clear.

"He spent the night with me." She stated bluntly, there was no reason to lie. Sesshomaru stopped beside her.

"Kagome. Why do I smell him on you?" Inuyasha wasn't liking this, her lips were swollen, her hair was a mess and he could smell both of their arousals. Kagome blushed, but rolled her eyes at him.

"Take a guess." What did it matter to him?! He chose someone else over her, why did he care?

"Why would you sleep with him?!" He bellowed, getting flustered. Kagome could tell the truth, or have some fun.

"Hm… Why wouldn't I?" She eyed Sesshomaru sideways, from head to toe, earning a small smirk from him as he looked sideways to her.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because he tried to kill you a couple of times, mentally tortured me with my dead mother, tried stealing my sword over and over, also 'cause he's a cold-blooded murderer!" He stated to her, gaining nothing from her but a raised brow.

"Well, you tried to kill me when we met and would have continued to do so if not for those beads around your neck. As for the other stuff, get over it. He no longer bothers you for Tessaiga and he kills because that's what demons are taught to do." Inuyasha was about to start talking when Kagome lift her hand. "Why are you interfering with my life?"

"I'm helping you _avoid a mistake."_ He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh? And what mistake would that be?"

"Getting involved with a heartless bastard." Kagome chuckled sourly at the irony. She was in this situation because of him and now he'll hear it. Letting her aura loose, she began.

"First things first, how dare you. You don't have the right judge or interfere with my decisions. Secondly, I have _plenty_ of experience with heartless bastards. I've had a full load of you, Inuyasha. Four years of it! Thirdly, why do you think I'm here? Why would I leave my family? I came back for you, you asshole. And you ditched me for Kikyou before I even had the chance to really be with you. I am alone in this era. The only family I have is Shippo and I can't even spend the night next to him anymore because, in the process of getting stronger, my aura _broke_. What did I ever do to you? Did I interfere in your life or decisions? Have I not given you your space and asked nothing in return, even if I sacrificed _everything_ to be with you? How _dare_ you judge me, babysit me as if I don't have the capability of thought. What do you want? You want me as a puppy following you around, you want to _own me?!_ I am so done, Inuyasha. You have not once considered what you've done to me, and I haven't asked it of you. My life is my own, and I will be with whoever I want to be!" Tears rolled down her face, her fists so tight her blunt nails broke the skin, her whole body trembled. She trapped her aura to herself again and walked back to the hut.

Sesshomaru, who was at an idle state trying to pinpoint the moment he lost control over his actions, _again,_ while ignoring his beast snickering at him, wasn't really listening after Inuyasha began to yap his mouth too much. However, when Kagome let her aura loose and he felt the sorrow, loneliness, hurt and betrayal on it, he wanted to know the cause. He listened, word for word of what she said to his half-brother, and the more he heard, the more he wanted to kill the brat. When her aura left him, the sorrow was gone, and there was only outrage. _Has this mutt no honor?!_ He waited just enough so she wouldn't stop him.

Inuyasha was at a loss for words, his mind was racing. He felt every bit of hurt that came from Kagome's words, _literally_. And as he stared at his friend's hut, a fist made contact with his jaw. He heard a painful crunch and shot up through the air, only to be kicked mid-air toward the village. Sesshomaru led his half-brother farther and farther away from Kagome. His beast was enraged to the brim, he wanted to tear the Hanyou between his teeth, but Sesshomaru held him back. Because he knew, he knew that even after everything this vermin did to her, with all the sorrow and loneliness she held to herself, she would be sad if he killed the brat. That's how loyal she was.

When Sesshomaru had his fill, he kicked Inuyasha down toward the ground in the middle of the village, turned and hastily headed to his palace. He needed clean clothes and to cool off in a bath. Staying would be a death sentence to the half-breed.


	5. A long day

Sango couldn't believe her eyes. She was polishing Hiraikotsu when she heard a grunt and as she lifted her head to look, she saw Inuyasha in a crater in the middle of the village. She looked up to see a very pissed Sesshomaru flying away. _What did Inuyasha do this time?_

She put her weapon on her porch and ran to see if the Hanyou was ok. She could see Kikyou and Kaede coming too. Sango got to Inuyasha and almost threw up. He was _severely_ beaten up, a human would've died from these wounds. She heard Kikyou's gasp and watched as she tried to wake the Hanyou up. Sango knew very well this wouldn't end up peacefully. Not that it was a peaceful situation, but it could just end there. She heard Inuyasha moan in pain and sighed in relief. At least he wasn't dead.

"Kikyou, keep him awake. He certainly had a concussion and he needs to remain conscious. I'll bring my healing salves and ask for Miroku to take him to your hut. Kaede, could you help us with the kids?" She watched Kaede nod and when she turned, her twin daughters were running towards them. Quickly she took one in each arm and walked away, Kaede following her.

"Mommy, what happened to uncle Inu?" Hana asked, trying to look over her tiny shoulder.

"Yeah, why did he fall from the sky?" They sounded scared already. Good thing Sango didn't let them see him.

"Oh sweeties, he got into a fight with Lord Sesshomaru. He will be alright. Mommy is going to take care of him, ok?" The twins looked at each other, than back at their mother.

"Can we help?" They said in unison.

"Not this time. You'll be staying home with Lady Kaede."

"And why is that?" Miroku asked, coming towards them holding their younger boy. Sango put the girls on the ground and spoke in hushed tones.

"Inuyasha is _badly_ injured. He did something and it made Sesshomaru furious. He's up ahead, take him to his hut, be careful I think most of his bones are broken. I'll grab our bandages and healing salves. The girls _cannot_ see him. His state left me scared." With each phrase Miroku's eyes widened a bit more.

He nodded to his wife and, after handing Kaede his son, went to his friend's aid. The second he lay Inuyasha on the floor of his hut, Kikyou grabbed her bow and arrows and walked away.

"Wait! Lady Kikyou! What are you going to do?" He asked, running after her. Without looking back she answered him.

"I'm going to _kill that demon_." Miroku's eyes widened.

"He left!"

"So I'll hurt him! He hurt my husband and now I will hurt him back. Directly or not." She stormed off in the direction of the well. Miroku was left divided between going after her or helping Inuyasha. But the priority being the Hanyou's life, he let her go.

"I hope they don't kill each other." He mumbled and ran to his home. He had to worry about Inuyasha first.

* * *

Kagome heard the first grunt and turned around. Both men were gone. "For fuck's sake." She mumbled to herself.

She gathered her hair to her back and tied it with a ribbon and clumsily changed into her fighting clothes, wrapped her choker around her neck, grabbed her weapons and stormed off. Once out of the hut, she filled her legs with reiki and ran, she got all the way to the Well's clearing before she had to dodge an arrow.

"You _gotta_ be kidding me!" Kagome bellowed to the pale woman in front of her.

"That demon almost killed Inuyasha because of you!" Kikyou let another arrow loose and Kagome caught it, absorbing the reiki from it.

"I know you are upset but we should take care of Inuyasha first. Killing me won't accomplish anything!" She said, dodging another arrow.

"It'll give him the same pain I'm feeling." Kagome let her shoot another arrow before dodging it and then running behind her, grabbing the woman's arm and moving them back while lightly pushing behind her knees, forcing her to her kneel. She squirmed under Kagome, all but a fruitless effort. Kagome moved Kikyou's arms and placed them in a manner she would only need one hand to hold the woman. With her now free hand, she grabbed Kikyou's arrows and put them in her own quiver. That done, she let the woman up.

"Why would you let that demon do such a thing to Inuyasha?! I thought you loved him!" She questioned her, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.

"I don't control what Sesshomaru does, he is the owner of his actions." Though she did _not_ anticipate his sudden attack on Inuyasha, which she assumed was because of her. Regret filled her every time she thought about it.

"But he did it because of you!" Kikyou screamed and fell to her knees, hands on her face. Kagome could see her shoulders trembling, and was momentarily shocked. The woman had never shown weakness to her before. It was the first time Kagome saw Kikyou showing any signs of being human. But then again, her clay body back then wouldn't be able to feel much and she was now pregnant and vulnerable. With caution, she kneeled beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Inuyasha isn't going to die because of this, Kikyou. He is tougher than that. But your distress will affect your pup." With that Kikyou looked at her, her eyes wide. Nodding slightly, she let Kagome help her up.

She used her aura to calm her down further. She could've used her aura before, but as soon as she lifted all the despair would still be there. She had to let Kikyou calm down on her own. Quietly, she led her back to the village.

When they got there, they saw Miroku bringing more water to Inuyasha's hut.

"Miroku!" Kagome called, he stopped on his tracks to look at her. "I'll take Kikyou to your house to calm her down, that way I can help watch over the kids for you guys."

"Ah, that would be of great help, thank you Lady Kagome!" She nodded and went in the direction of their house. Opening the screen panel, she found Kaede sitting on a cushion holding a frightened Haru while Hana and Haya were playing tag with Rin and Shippo. They almost made a cup on the low table on the room fall when Kagome spoke.

"Ok, we are stopping that right NOW." The kids froze in place and looked at Kagome. Rin's face began to turn red. "You may breathe, Rin." Kagome said, chuckling as the girl gasped for air. Kaede nodded her thanks to her. She felt Kikyou's shoulder stop trembling. That was a good sign.

"Lady Kaede, take Haru to another room. He could use some quiet time to calm down." Kagome suggested.

"Are ye going to be okay with all the children here?" She asked Kagome, and she gave the older miko a smirk. Kaede chuckled and got up, taking Haru to his bedroom to calm down. Kagome had her way with the children.

"Kikyou, why don't you go with Kaede for now? You could use some peace and quiet for yourself as well." Kagome said softly to the other woman. She nodded without looking at Kagome and she led her to where Kaede went. After settling Kykiou and making sure she was comfortable, Kagome grabbed the tea, still hot since Miroku had just finished making it when the mess started and served the older Mikos. That's when she heard giggling, lots of it. _Oh boy._ She served the cup of tea as fast as she could and went back to the other room.

"Shippo!" He flinched at the sound of her voice and slowly turned his head, his face fully covered in fresh ink drawings, a brush on his hand, and a giggly Haya in the corner. Hana and Rin had finished their job on each other. They had found Miroku's supplies he used for his sutras.

"Yes, mama?" His voice was nervous.

"You know this ink is permanent, right?" She lied, loving the gasps that came from the children.

Kagome asked Shippo for a couple of cloth rags and a bucket. Telling them they could get rid of the ink if it was cleaned off of them fast enough. Shippo zoomed out to get the items requested. She sighed. _This will be a long day…_

And it was. She was able to calm Kikyou enough so she could see Inuyasha. The kids were impossible, their agitation with what was happening showing in their attitude. She went two or three times to help Inuyasha heal but had to give his youki a break every half an hour of healing. She took care of the meals and bathed the children. By the time Sango came back, it was already dark and Kaede had already headed home, they had eaten and the children were sleeping. Kagome was exhausted. When Sango entered the room, they shared a knowing look, and Kagome knew Inuyasha would recover.

"How do you manage?" She asked Sango, who was equally exhausted. She returned from her bath looking a bit calmer.

"I wonder this myself everyday…" Sango said, sighing. "So, are you going to tell me the reason Inuyasha almost died or you'll continue to not trust us?" Sango inquired, feeling a bit irritated that Kagome refused to explain the motives of her weird behaviour. Kagome looked up to her sister, she saw the look on her eyes and couldn't retain her tears. She began to sob and Sango widened her eyes, seeing her friend break.

"Kagome, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said something like that." She said, sitting on the cushion next to Kagome and hugging her. And to her surprise, instead of calming down, Kagome broke further. She could feel her low cries against her shoulder, so she stood there, comforting her. After a few minutes, Kagome calmed down and let her go. Sango had only seen Kagome this sad the first few months after she returned and learned that Inuyasha had mated Kikyou.

"No, you are right… I really want to be near you guys, like before, but I just can't. It's my powers, Sango. I've done something to them and I don't know how to fix it. I had to sleep as isolated as I could on the temple. I would camp outside to let them sleep. I left because they couldn't help me, they didn't have any more answers. And by the time I got to the village, things happened and now I don't understand anything anymore." Miroku entered the room, he was putting his Sutras away when he heard both women. He quietly sat down next to Sango.

"Sango. I've spent _seven years_ on that temple." Both the adult's eyes widened. "When I was coming back, Sesshomaru found me. He was convinced I wasn't myself because he felt my aura. He almost killed me twice because of it and it wasn't even his fault! I had to share memories with him for him to believe me. He told me he saw me last spring and it didn't make any sense! When I got here you told me the same thing and I didn't know what to do… The first night I was here, Sesshomaru went to talk to me in the clearing I spent the night at, and things got out of hand." She pulled her choker down to show the mark to her friends, they gasped. Blushing hard, she continued. "It's a mating mark, the process is not complete since it happened accidentally. Then yesterday he came back and he explained to me what youkai mating means and what it does. I think he may be able to help me, he can invade my center." At this Miroku gasped, but Sango was at a loss.

"That should be impossible! It's an extremely private place, you can only enter it by blocking everything out!" He told her, Kagome nodded.

"He was able to because of the mark. And when he did I felt _something_. I was forced out of it and it felt like I was going to have a heart attack." She sighed heavily. "After that, he said he wanted to spend the night next to me to experience what my Senseis have. I told him it was a bad idea, but he insisted. I had a nightmare just before dawn and when I woke up he was kneeling on the ground, his face was just…" She closed her eyes trying not to think about it. "My aura forced my fear on him. If I were to stay in the village most of it would suffer the same whenever I'd have a nightmare. I don't want Shippo, Rin or your family and friends to suffer from this… curse." She stated, her tone was angry at the last word. There were a few moments of silence before Sango spoke.

"Let me feel it." Kagome's head shot up to look at her.

"No." Her voice was firm.

"Kagome let us help you."

"Sharing this horrid experience won't change anything. Besides, Miroku is already helping me." Sango glared at her husband, who smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"Don't be mad at him, I asked him not to tell. I wasn't ready to talk openly about it yet…" Sango sighed lightly.

They asked about the motive of Sesshomaru's wrath and Kagome explained, blushing deeply, what had transpired in the early morning. After chatting a bit more, Kagome left to check on Inuyasha, feeling relieved he already healed through the roughest parts of his injuries. She let her Reiki pulse through him once again and guided his tired youki to heal him further. In the morning he'd be able to be out and about again, which relieved the guilt a bit from her. She didn't want him beaten but wasn't expecting Sesshomaru to get defensive for her.

Walking towards the nearby hot spring, she idly wondered why Sesshomaru was helping her in the first place. They've caused trouble for each other from the moment they met on those springs, none of them apologising for any of it. It was quite late and she was dead tired, but her daily bath would always happen if she could help it. The night was warm and calm, and Kagome let out tiny reiki butterflies around her, just for the fun of it. Once bathed, she let herself get hypnotised by her own little creations. The day was a confused mess and she missed daydreaming every once in a while.

Kagome had yet to notice she had an audience.

* * *

The young monk sighed in relief at the sight of the trail to Edo, situated to the left of the main road. He brushed his black hair off of his sweaty forehead, his green eyes appreciating the beauty of the place. Ryuji had received Miroku's note about a month ago, saying he needed him at Edo to help a friend. He was wandering towards the place anyway, so he just replied it and sent the note away as an enchanted sutra. He ended up reaching the place a few days earlier than expected. He was walking towards the village when he heard someone humming. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a tiny spec of pink light in between the trees. Ryuji let curiosity get the best of him and, as silently as he could, walked toward the light. What he saw left him gawking.

A beautiful young woman sat waist deep in the water, leaning against a large boulder, her long raven and wavy hair hiding her chest from view. She was watching her private show of reiki creations. Her serene expression, while humming a song unheard of, was intoxicating. Her blue eyes lazily accompanying the light pink couple moving in a strange fashion amidst swirling butterflies. The couple would spin and pace around and she extended her hand so they would do so on her fingertips. He felt relaxed while watching her. Ryuji was ready to pay the price if she found him out, but he would keep his presence hidden just in case. She was nothing less than stunning, and all he could do was watch.

Suddenly she stopped, her eyes widened and she sat upright, her reiki creations gone in a blink, the relaxing feeling gone with them. He watched as she reached for a drying cloth and then stood while covering herself, her eyes fixed on something ahead of her. That's when he decided to look where she was looking.

A tall Inu youkai approached from the treeline towards her. Ryuji was about to get up when he heard her speak.

"You gotta stop doing that!" She told the youkai, and to his biggest surprise, and dismay, the Inu responded.

"You are being watched, miko." Ryuji watched in horror as the demon's eyes locked on him, an indifferent expression on his face. When he looked back at her, the miko was looking at him, her mouth gaping and her eyes as wide as they could be. He watched, stunned, as she squeaked and ran to hide behind the demon.

"Who are you? Why are you spying on me?!" She asked loudly. Welp, he was caught, time to face the consequences and hope not to die either purified or slashed into pieces. Not that he would go that easily.

"Ah, I am sorry my lady, I didn't mean to upset you. I just got stunned by your beauty is all." He said in his most charming voice while walking from behind his tree. He watched, pleased, as her blush intensified and she eyed him from head to toe, her brows furrowing at his attire. The demon narrowed his eyes at him dangerously but stood in place. There was a moment where nothing moved, nothing breathed and then there was a gasp.

"You are Miroku's friend!" She said, peeking from behind the Inu.


	6. Tension

Sesshomaru was pissed, he didn't even know why, but he was. He had finally calmed down on his palace, and was on his way back to Edo when he felt her relaxed aura on him. He descended quietly and was about to make himself known when the scene displayed in front of him stopped him on his tracks.

Kagome sat against a rock, her sweet voice hummed a strange song and her hair covered her breasts. She was showered by the light of her reiki, her eyes were half lidded and a small smile played on her lips. He watched her for God knows how long before he turned his attention to the reiki playing above her. There were butterflies fluttering about and in the center, he could see a humanoid couple making elegant movements. He observed closely and saw that both figures had long hair, one of them resembling her and the other himself, even though they wore attires he didn't recognize. That left a strange feeling in his chest and made his beast pur in contentment. The reiki couple danced and swirled around to the rhythm of her song in a very intimate way. He watched as Kagome extended her hand and the couple danced towards her, her smile widening as the couple leaped with grace from one fingertip to the other.

 _She is gorgeous._ He couldn't help but think.

That's when he smelled him. That monk, as aroused as one can be, arrived and began watching her. He could almost feel the hunger coming from him. His beast roared in his head, and Sesshomaru had to fight for it not to take over.

 **How** _ **dare**_ **he! KILL HIM.**

 _No. There is no logical reason to._

 **We've killed for less. He is spying on** _ **our miko.**_

 _So are we, and the miko isn't ours._

 **Your denial is going to drive me insane.**

 _There is not and there will not be anything between us._

 **So you are gonna let him touch her?**

 _Why would he touch her?_

 **Why** _ **wouldn't**_ **he?**

That comment left a sour taste in his mouth as he imagined the monk with her. He blocked his beast and made his presence known. When she saw him and retreated her aura, he realised just how aroused he was himself, good thing his sash covered it and he could hide the smell. The exchange happened and Sesshomaru felt extremely pleased when she ran towards him for cover, even though now he couldn't move.

"Ah, I am sorry my lady, I didn't mean to upset you. I just got stunned by your beauty is all." The insolent monk spoke. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him. Is he trying to flatter his way out of this? He spied on Kagome and his ire raised considerably; the monk was succeeding.

"You are Miroku's friend!" She chirped to the monk. The smile that came upon the monks face displeased Sesshomaru. He now knew nothing would happen to him, Kagome wouldn't allow it, and for some reason Sesshomaru did not want to upset her.

"Yes. I am Ryuji, it is a pleasure to meet you. And you are?" This guy was pissing him off. He released his armor and took off his outer kimono, giving it to Kagome. She blushed and smiled, thanking him. He then looked at the monk.

"You have no business here. Your friend resides in the village, so be on your way." He turned to Kagome, who was making a weird dress out of his huge kimono, and motioned his head for her to get her belongings. With that done, he put his armor back on and began walking.

"Wait, where are you going?" She said, grabbing her stuff from the springs.

"To your hut." He stated bluntly, not even turning to look at her.

"What?! Hell no! I'm not putting you through _that_ again!" She watched as he just continued walking, stopping after a few paces to glare at her for not following. The monk, who was understanding nothing of what was going on, looked at Kagome for answers. She turned to him with a quick bow.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi! Miroku called you here to help me." She looked nervously at the daiyoukai waiting for her. "Go on to the village, I'm sure he'll shelter you! I'll see you tomorrow! Bye!" And then she took off. Ryuji couldn't properly process what the hell he just witnessed. Was she that demon's lover? He had to find Miroku, he needed answers.

Kagome was following Sesshomaru barefooted, he wouldn't slow down no matter how much she asked. _What's with him? Is he… jealous? Angry that the monk was watching me?_ She blushed at the thought. _Maybe… maybe he li- NO, NONONONONO. Don't delude yourself Kagome. It's ok to dream but that is all they are, dreams. It's Sesshomaru we are talking about. You made out once! That's it. Don't g-_ Her self-scolding was interrupted by a large splinter making its way through her foot, causing her to cry out in pain. Whispering curse words to herself, she started to lift her foot to see the damage when suddenly strong arms lifted her. She blinked twice and looked up. Sesshomaru was looking forward, his mask in place, but there was clear irritation emanating from him. She looked forward and saw they were already in her clearing.

He entered her hut and set her down on his mokomoko. Kneeling in front of her, he grabbed her impaled foot. She hissed and tried to pull it away, but his firm grip didn't budge. With a fast movement, the splinter was gone. She bit her lip hard to contain the scream and felt blood spilling into her mouth. Pulling her foot from him, she looked down at it with watery eyes, concentrating on sending the reiki over there to heal. She released her lip as the pain faded. Kagome then looked at the demon in front of her, unsure of what to do.

He eyed her intently, then leaned towards her to touch her lips with his, gently sucking on her bottom lip and brushing his tongue against the cuts. Her eyes widened when she felt them begin to heal. Sesshomaru was fighting himself. He was tempted into transforming this little healing session into a kiss, but he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself. A possessive feeling had crept into his chest and he was having trouble fighting it. His beast was enraged because of the monk and would take over to mate the miko the first chance it got. He couldn't allow that. So, with effort, he let go of her delicious lip and stood up.

"I didn't know you could do that…" She said, stunned. When she looked up he seemed to be waiting for something. It took her a second, but the overly soft fabric reminded her. Getting up, she grabbed a change of clothes and went behind a separation she'd improvised. She quickly changed and folded the oversized kimono the best she could. She handed it to him and without a word, he walked out of her hut and flew away. _What the heck?_

Kagome felt a squeeze in her heart, but she knew she could not complain. She was actually relieved he wouldn't have to go through her shitty nightmares again… or erotic dreams.

Sesshomaru was pissed. He was pissed with so many things at the same time. His beast was only pissed with two things, however. His logic side and that insolent monk.

 **Why are you fighting this?**

 _There is nothing to fight._

 **Of course, you are** _ **running**_ **from it.**

 _This Sesshomaru runs from nothing._

 **I've chosen.**

 _No, you haven't._

 **I refuse to lose the miko for that monk.**

 _You can't lose something you don't even desire._

 **Oh sure, keep telling yourself that when we almost rutted her this morning.** _ **And enjoyed it.**_

 _We only feel physical attraction towards her and she won't go after the monk._

 **No, he will go after her.**

 _Then let him._

 **Are you even the same demon as me?!**

 _Apparently not._

 **We have seen her power, her loyalty, her strength. She is beautiful. She is** _ **perfect**_ **.**

 _She is human._

He shut his beast away with difficulty, he wasn't on the mood for discussion. He needed to kill something, and then he'd talk to that annoying ancient tree.

* * *

Ryuji sat on the stairs of Miroku's house, observing the village in its morning business. They had spent the night talking and Miroku explained to him what he knew. His mind would go back to the springs and the miko. _Kagome huh, a lost soul…_ He felt a tug on his black robes and looked down. Hana was offering him an onigiri, he took it, thanking the child, and she ran away giggling and glancing back. He smiled at that, Miroku's children were sweet, just like their mother. He loved meeting Sango, she suited his friend perfectly. They were a beautiful couple. He began eating when something caught his attention.

He turned his head to the right, the opposite direction of Inuyasha's forest, and saw them. Three feline demons were charging towards the village. They were only noticed too late, however, and in a manner of seconds, they were inches from their targets. He moved to create a barrier and watched everything in slow motion. The one charging at him pounced and transformed into a tiger midair, his jaw open and ready to tear his head off of his neck. He watched from the corner of his eye as the other two launched themselves against the twins, Rin and Shippo. He could hear Sango screaming knowing it would be too late, even with her so close. The children were frozen in fear as the two demons blurred their way to them, Kirara barely had time to transform when everything stopped. Two barriers emerged, one around him, inches away from his face, and the other around Sango, Kirara and the children. The tiger that had pounced on him hit the barrier with such force that he got instantly purified.

He watched as the other two demons halted right before hitting the barrier, but before they could do anything else, one of them was sliced in half, turning to ash before hitting the ground, and the other was on the ground. Everyone in the village had halted, Kikyo had just turned the corner of her hut with her bow and arrow in place, followed by a limping Inuyasha. Sango had her mouth open and the kids were now hiding behind her, Haru burying his face on her neck. He could hear Miroku running towards the village in the distance. The villagers all watched, stupefied at the miko in slayer clothes hold the panther down. Her katana shone a bright pink, emanating reiki.

Kagome was pissed, she had just gotten to the village when she sensed the strange movement, she had about two seconds to react and when she did, she felt a rage like never before. Her reiki pulsed within her and the barriers were instantaneous. She moved without hesitation, not even looking at the demon she sliced, her attention solely on the information held under her knee.

"Who are you?" She asked in a cold tone.

"Ha! As if I-" He didn't get to finish. A reiki wave burned the side of his face with force, making the other side scrape against the ground, only for Kagome to yank his head up again.

"I will _not_ ask again." The panther demon had his eyes wide and locked onto the Miko's, his chest against the ground and his head pulled up by one of her hands, while the other pressed her katana against his throat. The panther's limbs were bound with reiki chains. The demon trembled under her purple glare.

"I-I'm a spy from the North."

"And what does the North wants to accomplish by murdering _children?"_ She narrowed her eyes at him. When the panther remained silent, there was a pink flash and he roared in pain. She had purified his right arm off. "I have another three limbs to go, and a few outer organs to play with. _Answer me."_

"They want the Western Lords ward!" The demon said in between pants.

"What for?" Kagome's voice was ice, the demon shuddered under her weight.

"They wanted to use her as a bargaining chip." The demon panted out.

"Are there others?" The demon pant against the dirt for a second and when he sensed she would move, he screamed. "NO! No there aren't!"

"But they will send people after you." The demon just stared. Kagome let her barriers down and looked at Ryuji.

"Can you bind him?" Ryuji nodded and proceeded to run towards them to bind the panther down. Kagome got up and walked towards Sango. She had made the barrier soundproof so the kids wouldn't hear what was happening.

"Sango, I need you to be ready for battle at any moment, at least until Sesshomaru returns and takes Rin with him. They wanted to kidnap her and I'm afraid they'll try again or send backup." Sango nodded and walked home, taking her children and Shippo with her. Kirara followed them, still transformed.

Rin was about to do the same when Kagome touched her shoulder. The poor kid was trembling from head to toe and was silently sobbing. She opened her arms and the girl hesitated for a moment before throwing herself at her, crying loudly. She picked her up and took her to Kaede's hut, where she comforted the child. Kagome never saw Rin crying like this, but knew that if something happened to her that would in any way hurt the Demon Lord, even if indirectly, she would not be able to live with herself. The girl adored him too much.

"It's okay Rin, you'll be safe until Lord Sesshomaru returns to take you home." She sat against the wall and kissed the girls head, caressing her hair. One hour later Rin fell asleep, light shivers coming now and then. Kagome concentrated and a bright pink sparrow formed in front of her. She spoke three words to it, and the bird took off. Hopefully, he'd come before night did. The North was known for their dirty tricks.

* * *

Sesshomaru arrived at the familiar forest and slowly made his way to Bokuseno. The tree greeted him in his deep voice and Sesshomaru cut right to the chase.

"The Shikon no Miko has returned to Edo. She claims she spent seven years on a temple, and yet this Sesshomaru has seen her last spring. Her aura has the most powerful effect this One has encountered. She can force her own feelings onto others. Do you know how this would be possible?" Bokuseno blinked, never had the young lord spoken so much. He must be truly intrigued.

"There is a tale of old. It talks about a young woman with extraordinary powers. However, she was a Child of Time, out of place and alone. As her powers grew, so did her solitude and sorrow and there was no one who she could confide that would truly understand her. With such a weight in her heart, her powers manifested so she could share her burden with someone. The tale tells that the girl would meet one of equal power that would be able to share her load. I was told this as a tale, however, not a prophecy."

"Hn. And the time discrepancy?"

"I do not know how she would be able to rupture time, young Lord. I believe, however, that the answer may be within her." Bokuseno watched as Sesshomaru nodded and turned to leave. Knowing that it was the Lord himself coming to ask him, he was directly involved. Interesting times would come for the West.

Sesshomaru was given a lot to think about, he was about to take flight when a bright pink sparrow flew down to him, landing on his shoulder. It spoke one word before disappearing.

"Rin." Kagome's voice rang in his ear, her tone was serious and worry ghosted it. Sesshomaru disappeared from the forest in a blink.


	7. Decisions

**Thank you so much for the reviews! It warms my heart that you guys are liking my story since it took me literally three months to be able to come up with the courage to post it. I have a few more pre-written chapters, but I'll be revising them before posting, so it'll take a while longer for the plot to move forward.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The day passed by slowly. Villagers were given sutras to spread on the trees so that demons wouldn't be able to hide in them. Inuyasha, who was still recovering, came over to Kaede's hut to keep Kagome and Rin company. The kid refused to leave the hut, afraid she would cause trouble to Lord Sesshomaru. Shippo would come and go, making sure his mama had everything she needed. Kagome was calm, but couldn't relax. From time to time she would pulse her reiki to feel the area thoroughly. Ryuji spent most of his afternoon with Kagome and Rin, talking about Kagome's 'situation'. Miroku had rushed home from his meditation area as he was binding the panther and, after making sure his family was ok, helped the villagers. The demon didn't even move after being bound against a tree. As Ryuji passed around the bowls with their dinner, he sat next to Kagome, finally getting a rest after the rushed day.

"I knew you were beautiful, Lady Kagome, but I didn't know you were so strong." Kagome scoffed at that, making Inuyasha smirk. Kagome disliked this kind of flattery, the poor guy had no chance with her.

"I became strong enough to protect my kids." Rin was asleep but snuggled closer to Kagome when she said that.

"But taking three Northern spies in a few moves is quite the demonstration of power."

"Keh! I would've handled them easily!" Inuyasha bragged and Kagome leaned her head against the wall, smiling while looking at him.

"You would've destroyed the whole village in the process though." She said, her smile widening when she heard Shippo snickering as he entered the hut.

"With the aim Inuyasha has, he would destroy a few villages before he caught them!" They laughed as they watched Inuyasha running around trying to grab Shippo and failing miserably. The young fox would disappear with a 'pop' right as Inuyasha would catch him and reappear somewhere out of reach. She let Inuyasha have his fun for a bit, but seeing how he began to wince when moving, she interrupted.

"Inuyasha." She called. The hanyou winced and looked at her, scared to be sitted. "You need to rest, leave Shippo be. Besides, he's got a point." With an offended 'keh', he sat down by the door again. Ryuji was fascinated watching Kagome. Her demeanour was so different, and even if he knew she wasn't from around 'here', he was still amazed at how at home she seemed. They spent the early evening telling the monk stories about adventures they had when seeking the jewel shards, some good laughs coming from the memories.

Not long after dark, she felt the daiyoukai's presence and sat upright before he entered the hut swiftly. His eyes landed on Kagome, then on Rin who was using her thigh as a pillow.

"What happened." Sesshomaru demanded. Kagome felt Rin squirm a bit under the sound of his voice. She put a finger on her lips, indicating for him to keep quiet. Slowly she held Rin's head and laid it down on the futon. She nodded to Inuyasha, who was currently ignoring his half-brother, and he nodded back. He stuck Tessaiga on the wall as she left the hut, followed by Sesshomaru.

Looking back to place another barrier around it, just in case, she walked with Sesshomaru towards the bound panther. He was hidden from those who didn't touch him, so Kagome grabbed Sesshomaru's sleeve and pulled it towards the remaining arm of the demon. Sesshomaru's wrath began to rise when he recognised the sleeping panther in front of him. He was about to advance towards him when Kagome held out an arm. She crouched in front of the panther and spoke.

"Enjoying your nap?" To Sesshomaru's surprise, the demon winced at the sound of her overly sweet voice. "You see, I brought someone who has a lot of questions for you. You better answer them truthfully, because if you don't I will make sure he has his fun with you, and then bring you back so I can have my turn. Is that clear?" The demon looked up at her and nodded. She stood up and walked to a nearby tree to lean against, her eyes glued to the panther. He thought about reprimanding her, he didn't need anyone making threats for him. However, something in her voice, words, and attitude told him not to question her. He had never seen the kind miko so angry before.

Sesshomaru took his time with the spy, slashing his whip on his face whenever the slightest sign or smell of deceit showed up. After learning everything he needed to know, he was livid. Kagome said there was a cave nearby had some lowly youkai, in case he was interested. He was, he couldn't kill the spy yet, but he'd kill some brainless monsters for the sake of it. Kagome didn't move from her tree, she held a calm demeanour, feeling the area every ten minutes or so. She felt Sesshomaru coming back and stood up.

"What happens now?"

"Rin's going to my palace. This Sesshomaru wishes for you to accompany us." Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"You know I can't."

"This One has a sorceress on the palace that may know how to help you. Bokuseno spoke of the Child of Time." He explained what the tree youkai told him, Kagome nodded.

"I talked to Ryuji this afternoon, he told me the tale as well. It might be true but it still doesn't help me. I wonder if-" She was interrupted by being suddenly pressed between the tree and Sesshomaru, who was holding her to his eye level. She blushed and looked at him. His red eyes staring down with a possessiveness even himself couldn't explain. "Sesshomaru?"

" **Stay away from the monk.** " His voice was deeper and there was a rumble coming from his chest that made every strand of hair on Kagome's body stand up.

"Ah, I see your beast is a bit more straightforward." She smiled at him, appreciating the jealous outburst. They heard movement from the hut and he pulled away. She caught a glimpse of his golden eyes and the smug smirk he carried before he walked towards the hut. She probably looked like an idiot, all flustered against a tree. After recomposing, she followed him.

They agreed to maintain Tessaiga carved on the hut's wall to create an effortless barrier. Sesshomaru stood close to it after punishing Jaken for wandering away from Rin and Kagome returned to her own hut after a good bath, for a well-deserved sleep. After settling in and surrendering herself to exhaustion, her mind was dark at first, until it took her back to the village, at the time the panthers attacked.

She meant to move but she couldn't, and she watched as Kirara, the kids and Sango got slaughtered while Rin was taken away. Ryuji screaming ceasing abruptly as his head was torn from his neck. She cried out for them but nothing came out. A few moments passed in silence, terror consuming her. She watched as everyone in the village came over, yelling how she was weak and pathetic and let everyone die. Kikyou watched from the back of the crowd asking her if she was happy now, being as useless as ever. She was about to be overrun when everything stopped, the village started fading away as well as the horrific scene, a soft purr could be heard and she faded into peaceful darkness.

Sesshomaru felt her relax in his arms. He knew she would have a nightmare, he just didn't expect shame and guilt to come with it. Sesshomaru heard from the insolent monk what she had done and he understood that he owed the small woman in his arms his whole world.

She had protected Rin.

Ever since his mother informed him that Tenseiga worked only once on a person, he had dreaded that something would happen to her. Nonetheless, he had to let her live in a human village, she had to grow up as one. It was fine for the first years, Edo was well protected and the Lords were at a relative peace. And then this happens.

He couldn't imagine how he'd react if the spies kidnapped Rin. He'd lose it for sure, just the thought made his eyes flash red. The Northern Lord would be answering some of his questions soon enough, the audacity of that _cat_ was enraging. He leaned the back of his head against the wall and let her aura relax him thoroughly. Her scent was everywhere and he very much appreciated it. It was calming.

Kagome felt overly comfortable. The smell of pine and raining forest invaded her nose as she began to come back to consciousness. She felt a fluffy appendage forming a comfy pillow underneath her, and her head was leaning against a silk covered shoulder. It took her sleepy figure a few moments to understand where she was and to her surprise, when she realised in whose lap she was on, she felt happy, comforted. She had an idea why he'd hold her like that while she slept, the vibrating purr coming from his chest was a hint. She inhaled deeply, rushing the sleep away from her lungs, appreciating his delicious foresty scent in the process. She opened her eyes just a bit to find his molten gold intenseness staring at her.

"Hmm… you know, picking up an unconscious girl and having her sleep in your lap is called harassment where I come from." she teased, smiling.

"And yet you seem to be enjoying yourself." He teased back. She chuckled and began to sit upright, moving to stand. As much as she enjoyed his embrace, there were more important matters to attend to. Sesshomaru moved outside to wait for her.

Once back in her Slayer outfit, she accompanied him to the village. When they got there, people were already about their new chores: keeping guard, making sure the sutras were in place and still readable, arming their huts with protection amulets. Shippo came to greet Kagome before he left for his kitsune training, but she didn't put him down.

"Mama, I need to go to-"

"You are staying with me. Training can wait." Her voice was soft, but she looked at him with a serious expression, making him understand there was no space for arguing. His mama could be scary when she wanted. He nodded and her eyes softened.

"Now, how's Rin?" she asked.

"She's still in Kaede's hut. She doesn't want to see…" his eyes briefly fell on Sesshomaru, who frowned slightly. Kagome sighed as he walked towards the old Miko's house. She followed suit to calm down the distressed child… and Lord.

When Sesshomaru entered the hut Rin's head shot up in surprise and she scrambled up to bow towards him, visibly shaking.

"Rin." He called, not understanding her reaction.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Rin is sorry! Rin didn't mean to be any trouble!" She said in a small voice. Kagome spoke from behind him not long after.

"Rin, sweetie." She walked to her, Shippo jumping from her shoulder to greet Kaede, who was silently watching the exchange. Kagome put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Calm down, this isn't your fault." She soothed.

"But they were going to use Rin to h… hurt milord…" Sesshomaru visibly tensed. Kagome pulled her into a hug.

"No one is going to lay a finger on you, you have the Lord of the West's protection. Those who try probably hit their heads too hard when they were little." Rin giggled softly at that, then looked shyly at her Lord. Kagome encouraged her to get closer. Holding the rims of her red kimono with sakura flowers spread about, she walked to the daiyoukai. Her gaze on his boots.

Sesshomaru watched as his ward timidly walked and stopped in front of him. To everyone's surprise, he crouched in front of her. She looked at him, shock stamped all over her face. He caressed her cheek tenderly, and she leaned into his touch, letting a few tears roll down her face.

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru tried comforting Rin. He was so uncomfortable it was almost funny. He had comforted Kagome, yes, but there was no one watching. When he stood up again, he pat her head and told her to gather her belongings. Shippo and Kaede went with her after Kagome thanked her for taking care of Rin.

"You shall prepare for the trip too, miko." Sesshomaru said, turning to her when they were alone.

"I'm not going." she reminded him.

"It was not a request. You will accompany this one to his palace." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What makes you think I'll let you bend my will like that? I'm not your servant, I'm not working for you either. I'm staying with my kit."

"Miko." He warned her.

"Sesshomaru." She lifted an eyebrow to him.

"This Sesshomaru will not repeat himself." He was getting angry at her stubbornness.

"Good, then I won't have to either." She would not be ordered around.

He took a step forward, she took one back. He kept going until she was against the wall. He placed his hands against it, one at each side of her head. Slowly leaning close, he stopped when their noses almost touched while blue defied gold.

"Come with me." He asked her, his mask falling to reveal a worried expression. Kagome had to hold back a gasp, she never saw so much emotion on his face, she honestly didn't think his muscles had the capacity. But she couldn't go.

"I almost lost my son and my friends yesterday. I'm not going anywhere." She told him in a worried tone.

"Then bring the kit. This Sesshomaru will send guards to keep your allies safe." At this Kagome's eyes widened. This was so unlike him, he was doing her favours so she would go with him. She sighed.

"Fine, but I want daily reports on the village, Sango will be the one to write them." Kagome couldn't stop worrying, she had killed two northern spies and they were currently holding one captive. Retaliation was practically guaranteed.

"Hn." He grunted affirmatively, not moving. She watched the worry fade away from his face. Her heart pounding against her chest at his proximity.

"Sesshomaru, what are we doing?" She asked him, feeling his breath against her mouth. He closed his eyes and began to make his way to her neck, his nose and lips lightly touching her skin. When he got where he wanted, he let himself drown in her scent. Kagome felt every nerve that Sesshomaru touched heat up under her skin. When she felt him taking in her scent, she began panting slightly, making him smirk. He hovered above her choker, that damned choker that hid his mark, hid that she belonged to him.

"Why do you hide it?" He asked against her neck. Kagome thought about it.

"Because it was an accident. A consequence of feelings that weren't yours." She said, a slight pang of guilt jolting through her. He pondered the information for a bit.

"Very well then." He began untying the choker, startling Kagome.

"Wha-what are you going to do?!" She asked as he let it hit the ground.

"I'm going to mark you on purpose." He said, grinning against the scar as he watched her reaction, his hand holding the other side her neck, bringing her closer to him.

"WHAT!? Why?!" Kagome swayed between delight and panic. On one hand, it was Sesshomaru wanting her as his, on the other, it was the Lord of the fricking West marking her. On purpose. That was a game changer.

"Because you are _mine_." He growled against her neck. She began to try and move away from him. "Why do you run, miko? This Sesshomaru has seen how you feel." Kagome let a nervous laugh escape her. She was about to retort when she heard Shippo.

"'Gome!" With that, she dove under his arm and flew out of the hut, taking the opportunity to run away from Sesshomaru's fangs. He couldn't help but smirk at the motherly instincts of the little miko. He had noticed her relieved face, however, he knew she was human and therefore it would take some time for her to get used to the idea. For once in quite a while, his beast and he agreed to something. The little miko would be theirs, and theirs only.

Kagome was flustered and although she knew Shippo's cry all too well, she was for once grateful for Inuyasha's antics. As soon as she left the hut she glared at the Hanyou holding her kit by his tail. She pulled her thick braid over her shoulder, partially covering the scar.

"Inuyasha!" She yelled and ran to teach her friend a lesson. Again.

Sesshomaru walked outside to a sit command and a grunt. He watched as she reprimanded the half-breed and held the kit in her arms, caressing his tail. If it wasn't for her hair and clothes, the scene would be a perfect deja vu for him. He felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down to see Rin.

"Rin is done packing." He pat her hair and turned his attention to the scene again.

"Miko." He called. Kagome turned to him, blushing when catching his eyes with her own. She looked at Shippo.

"Sweetie, I need you to go get your things ok?" Shippo looked confused, but Kagome gave him an assuring hug. Putting him down she then crouched near the Inuyasha shaped crater, its creator sitting up and wiping the dirt off his face.

"Inuyasha, I'll be going with Sesshomaru." The Hanyou took a moment to absorb the information. When he did, he became livid.

"What the fuck?! Why would go with him?!" He bellowed.

"Because he will help me with my powers. I need to fix it so I can live normally again."

"But you are strong now, what is wrong with your powers?" Kagome took her dagger from its sheath. Letting her aura engulf Inuyasha she showed him her hand and cut a slit on her palm. The Hanyou exclaimed in surprise and looked at his own hand. There was nothing there, yet it hurt. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Yeah, now imagine me forcing night terrors on everyone. I can't control it when asleep." She whispered and looked at her hand, concentrating the Reiki on her palm and retreating her aura.

"That's why you sleep so far away?" She nodded and stood up, not wanting to look at his pity filled face. He frowned, he didn't know his friend was having such a hard time.

Kagome informed everyone she'd be right back and ran towards her hut. Getting there she stopped at the entrance. The damage done by Sesshomaru the other night was still there. She touched the splintered wood, sighing. Kagome could only hope he'd be able to help her. She arranged everything on her backpack and when she looked back, it was almost as if no one ever lived there.

* * *

Sesshomaru was waiting for the miko to return, watching with little interest how his half-brother sat on a tree, staring wide-eyed at nothing. Took him long enough, she had already used her aura on him and he didn't come to any conclusions. Then again, he was beaten to an inch of his life about a minute after the fact. His thoughts were distracted by the Slayer and Monk approaching him. Their kids behind swinging on the insolent monk's arms and the younger one on the slayer's back, being held by a cloth.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Said Miroku with a slight bow as Sesshomaru's gaze fell on him. "I know it isn't my place to question, but I do worry for my friend. What are your intentions with Lady Kagome?" The air seemed to stay still, while all eyes were on the stoic Lord.

"You are correct, monk. It isn't your place to ask." He said, looking towards Rin, who was now playing with the twins.

"Well, I beg to differ." Spoke Ryuji, coming to stand next to Miroku and Sango. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him, his beast already snarling in his head. "I've seen how you look at Lady Kagome. My friends have the complete right to worry about her. She is too pure to be defiled by one such as yourself." He stated, contempt clear on his face. Sesshomaru couldn't hold the growl that rose from his chest.

"Watch your tongue _monk_ , lest you lose it." Sesshomaru could smell the fear start rising from the couple, but the yapping pervert remained calm. His posture oozing confidence.

"I'd like to see you _try."_ The monk was already in the air when he finished talking, dodging Sesshomaru's claws. He landed and sprint towards the woods so they would fight away from everyone. Sesshomaru stalked after him, he would claim the monk's life, and enjoy every moment of the process.

He reached the monk and drew Bakusaiga, advancing and swinging his sword sideways to send a blast of youki at the human. Ryuji grinned as he summoned a green barrier around him. The attack was absorbed into it and Ryuji launched himself towards Sesshomaru, drawing his katana. They traded blows, Sesshomaru getting more and more peeved he was absorbing Bakusaiga's energy instead of receiving its damage.

The daiyoukai got space between them and let the monk charge again. He defended himself against his attack and used the opening in the monk's offensive to claw him. His eyes widened as his claws ripped the fabric on his abdomen and hit dark scales instead of skin. His poison deteriorating the clothes but doing nothing to the monk. His quick observation cost him greatly, Ryuji used his distraction to slash Sesshomaru's back. Sesshomaru felt his shoulder rip with a long cut that started on his back, his armour cracking. He hissed in pain as he felt the wound burn and kicked the monk against a tree in anger. He glanced at his shoulder to see a faint pinkish light emanating from it.

He noticed the monk's movement and was about to defend when a barrier appeared around each male. Sesshomaru looked at a very pissed Kagome while listening to the crunching sound of the monk's nose hitting the barrier.

"Ok, that's enough! You!" She pointed to Sesshomaru, her eyes swirling purple. "You will stand still while I remove that reiki and will _refrain_ from attacking Ryuji, and you!" She pointed to the monk holding his head up to stop his bleeding nose. "You will start talking and you won't stop until I say so. Did I make myself clear?!" All she received was a glare from Sesshomaru and a groan from Ryuji. _Unbelievable! I leave for literally **ten minutes**_. _That's all it took for them to be at each other's throats!_

She lowered the barrier and approached Sesshomaru, who stood still, glaring at the audacity of this little woman ordering him around. She stood in front of him with both her hands on her waist, tapping her foot on the ground and raising an eyebrow.

"We don't have all day and I am _well aware_ that wound hurts like a bitch. I can see the Reiki literally consuming your flesh." She watched as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Will I have to tackle you down again? Because I'll do it." She stated, exasperated at his stubbornness. It took another full minute of the staring contest for him to sigh silently and take his armour off, sitting down. He would never admit, but it did hurt like a bitch. Kagome looked at the slash on his back and shoulder and shuddered at the sight.

"I need you to remove your kimono and haori too." She said and he obliged. Kagome watched as he revealed his strong back muscles to her, holding his hair over the unharmed shoulder. If he wasn't wounded she would have to concentrate to avoid drooling. She kneeled behind him and gently placed her hands on the skin around the wound, calling the Reiki back. While doing that she looked up at the monk, who was now sitting in a meditative position, cleaning the blood on his face.

"Ok Ryuji, talk." She spoke and watched as his green eyes fixed on her blue ones. He waited for her attention to focus less on the wound, and more on him before beginning.

"I'm a hanyou. My father is a dragon youkai, the current southern army's general, and my mother was a human miko." He smirked when Kagome's eyes sparkled with interest. Though he wouldn't like the reason. "She was a Child of Time like you, Lady Kagome. The tale repeats itself every 400 years or so, but it's kept as a secret."

"There were others before me? From the future?" She asked, feeling excited.

"Miko." Sesshomaru called. When she turned to look, her nose touched his cheek. She noticed that she was supporting herself on his body, her breasts pressing against his bare shoulder. She blushed hard and apologized. Luckily she healed the wound before doing that. She sat beside Sesshomaru and motioned her hand for the monk to continue. Ryuji eyed Sesshomaru, who was pulling his torn haori and Kimono back on with a small smirk adorning his lips, before turning his attention to the miko.

"Yes, from a different era than you, however. I was hidden from the world for quite some time, being trained to be a monk and a youkai warrior. Obviously, you know which route I chose."

"How come I can't tell you are a hanyou? I can't sense any youki in you as I do on Inuyasha." She asked, idly wondering if Sesshomaru could sense it.

"That's because I can block it with my reiki, that way I'll seem human to everyone. Thankfully my demonic features remain on parts I can hide." He explained.

"Why thankfully? You are quite unique, you shouldn't hide who you are." Kagome thought of how much Inuyasha wanted to become a full demon when they met. It took him a long time to accept himself as he was.

"Thank you for the compliment, Lady Kagome, but it is extremely amusing to let your enemies underestimate you until they get their hides tanned." His malicious grin turned to Sesshomaru. _Oh, yeah, I'm not talking to Inuyasha._

"Did you get to know your mother?" Kagome asked trying to change the subject.

"Yes, I spent my first 300 years with her." Kagome gawked.

"300?! How is that even possible?"

"My father mated her, so her longevity was prolonged to match his." Kagome immediately touched her marked neck. Ryuji watched Kagome and his eyes narrowed towards Sesshomaru. "Did you tell her that an unfinished mating basically makes her your whore?" Ryuji asked him, anger swirling in his green eyes. But to his surprise, Kagome spoke up.

"I am what I decide to be. If demons see me like a whore just because of a scar, then let them. It changes nothing of who I am, and if they decide to annoy me because of it, I'll purify them on the spot." She stated calmly. Sesshomaru just eyed her sideways. "If you don't mind telling me, how did your mom die?"

"She died on an ambush the Southern Lord had prepared once he heard of my father's mating with her. It was a long time ago, so don't worry about it." He said, watching Kagome frown a bit.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She said sympathetically "Do you know how she got rid of this annoying aura?"

"Yes, she mated." Kagome stared silently, so he explained. "The mating bond is very deep, with someone to understand your pain, your powers no longer need your aura to search for consolation. Your aura is meant to attract someone who can help you lift the negative emotions away, someone with equal power. My father said it was impossible not to answer my mother's call."

At this statement, both Kagome and Sesshomaru's eyes were wide. Kagome couldn't believe it. She was supposed to let other people feel it? Most didn't even notice it was her aura, they just took the emotions as their own, the only one who noticed was... She looked at Sesshomaru who was staring at her. _Oh. My. God._ She blushed immediately and looked down. Ryuji, watching the scene, wasn't liking any of this.

"You gotta be joking. Are you telling me this _uptight prick_ was the one who noticed?!" He could almost smell arrogance and pride coming from the Inu, the miko deserved so much more than someone who can't even show how he feels.

"I mean… It makes sense, doesn't it? Sesshomaru is powerful and what drew him to me was his curiosity over my aura." She stated to Ryuji matter of factly. Kagome knew the truth, there was no need to deny it, Sesshomaru looked at power and honour before anything. She stood up, letting her barrier down. She had heard enough to keep her thinking for a month. "Come on, the others must be worried." She said to both males and watched Sesshomaru rise with an elegance only he could achieve.

Ryuji scowled. He couldn't let such a strong and beautiful woman be bound to someone who only looked at her for _power._ He swiftly moved to pick up Kagome, just to feel Sesshomaru's fist hit him square in the face before he could even touch her. The Hanyou flew through a couple trees before stopping.

"Um, what just…" She looked at Sesshomaru. His eyes held something that puzzled Kagome greatly. She couldn't put her finger on it. _Ugh, he could just drop the mask._ Sesshomaru couldn't blame Kagome for thinking of him in such a way. He portrayed himself to the world like that, after all. But there was so much more he admired in her, her power was but a fraction of it. Kagome watched as he stared at her for a moment and then turned to walk back to the village, stopping after a few paces to look back.

"He'll live." He said sourly. Kagome looked back at the destroyed trees. _He's not a human Kagome, he'll be fine._ With that mantra playing on her head, she picked up her backpack from the tree she dropped it by and walked with Sesshomaru back to the village. As much as she wanted to help Ryuji, she knew it would upset Sesshomaru further and just make things worse.

Inuyasha watched silently from his branch as Kagome and Sesshomaru appeared on the tree line. They walked quietly, Kagome was fidgeting her fingers on her backpack straps, worry adorning her features. As they approached, he could smell the daiyoukai's blood which made him smirk. There was more to that Ryuji guy after all, even though Inuyasha couldn't see him anywhere.

Kagome ran over to Sango and Miroku to explain what happened and why she was going with Sesshomaru. Miroku nodded and walked away to retrieve his friend.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome said goodbye to Sango and the kids. He didn't want her to go, she just came back… but he couldn't ask her to stay. He had no idea how to help her and she seemed unhappy with her powers.

"Inuyasha." She called him. He got off his tree and walked over to her.

"What is it, wench?" He asked her. She rolled her blue eyes at him.

"I need a favour." She said.

Sesshomaru didn't listen to much around him, his mind was racing a million miles an hour. Many things the dragon Hanyou explained began to fit in place. His power absorption, a well-known characteristic of the Southern General. His lack of aura or scent to tell away he was a hanyou. His knowledge about Kagome's powers and the prophecy. It explained why the time Sesshomaru spent in his palace after the clearing was plainly unpleasant. He kept thinking about the Miko and his beast wouldn't give up on the idea of helping her.

His beast, at the current moment, was quite vocal in his head. The word 'mate' would pop up every three sentences as it rambled in his mind. He had already decided to court the miko, even being human, she was indeed a very powerful creature. And although, at first, he loathed how he lost control when with her, he now actually looked forward to it. She brought out reactions from him that none before her did. The delight he felt only from her sweet pleasured mewls made him shudder lightly. And the way she was over responsive to any stimulation that came from his part was endearing to him. From her blushing to her future pleasured screams, he wanted it all. He knew of her innocence, and the possessive feeling of having been the only man to ever touch her this way made his beast howl with pleasure.

Another thing was that he now wanted to genuinely help her, make her unease go away, give her a chance to sleep beside him without fear. And even though it was hard to admit, he became quite addicted to her. It was getting harder and harder to see himself without her by his side. His little miko crawled under his skin in less than two months, and he couldn't find it in himself to give a damn about it. And all of that excluding the fact that he owed her big time, and not once did she do it thinking of anything else than Rin's safety.

And so, before Sesshomaru knew it, he was picturing a future with the miko as the western Lady. Would she get used to it? Stand her ground? There would be challenges, Sesshomaru had many suitors from major and minor lords. One currently residing in the palace, constantly nagging and trying to seduce him. As if he worked that way... he did use her for quick ruts though. The exchange between her and the miko would be interesting to watch. He was pulled out of his thoughts by said miko, who held the kit in her arms.

"... earth to Sesshomaru! Jeez, you were out of it." He raised an eyebrow to her. "I've finished saying goodbye and explaining how things will work. Miroku went to retrieve Ryuji and I thought it would be best if we moved before he got back." She said nervously. The last thing she wanted was another unwanted move from the hanyou or worse, another fight.


	8. Let's give it a shot

Sesshomaru flared his aura to Ah-Un so it would approach them and helped Rin upon the dragon, behind Jaken. Kagome tied her bag to the saddle and placed Shippo between Rin and Jaken. She was about to mount herself when Sesshomaru grabbed her by the waist and took flight in his cloud. A light squeak reached his ears and he felt her arms enlace his waist firmly.

Kagome was scared to death. She never flew this way, on Kirara she was always mounted, and that's how she thought she would travel. But there she was, standing and glued to Sesshomaru, holding onto him for dear life. She felt his grip on her tighten and his furry appendage wrap around her, holding her close to him. With deep breaths, she calmed herself and looked down to take in the scenery. Feudal era Japan was gorgeous, so much nature and beauty that no matter how much she saw it, it still stunned her.

They flew like that for about half an hour before she heard a scream followed by giggling and squawking over the wind. She turned and tucked her head under Sesshomaru's armpit, holding on his sash with one hand and the other holding his hair off her face.

The scene before her would be funny if she didn't dread the kids falling. Shippo and Rin were giggling madly while holding Jaken's staff from one end, and the other the imp held on for dear life. He screamed and cussed, his legs and arms wrapped around the two heads.

"Shippo!" She called him, feeling Sesshomaru slowing down so the dragon would catch up.

"What? He was the one who decided to stand up to tell us tales about Lord Sesshomaru. And then he fell." Shippo's giggling began again.

"That's when he screamed like Rin!" Rin said, squealing with laughter and making Kagome snort, the imp was pissed off and his face was quite red.

"Sesshomaru, stop a bit." She asked him loud enough, he had to hold back a chuckle at the woman peeking at him from under his arm. He slowed down, coming to a halt and looking over his shoulder to the dragon. Ah-Un followed the motion and stopped mid-air. Kagome helped Jaken back up, and he promptly took his staff from the giggly children. She then positioned herself as she was before and nodded to Sesshomaru, laughing lightly.

They continued for another four hours before landing to rest. It was past noon and Kagome was starving, she took her bow and arrow to hunt but Sesshomaru had already vanished to do it. So, instead, Kagome prepared the fire and cooked some rice she brought from the village while they waited. He came back with a cleaned buck and Kagome began to prepare the meals. She separated some raw meat with cooked rice for Sesshomaru, who surprisingly took it, and they ate. After cleaning everything and shoving it back on her backpack, they flew away once again.

When twilight was upon them, Kagome asked Sesshomaru if they could camp nearby a spring, so they flew for another ten minutes before landing. After preparing the fire, she took the kids to bathe. Shippo was easy to clean, he was used to it, but Rin just wouldn't stay still. Kagome created reiki butterflies to distract the child while she finished cleaning her.

"Wow! I didn't know you could make these!" Shippo said, hypnotized by the swirling pink butterflies.

"Yeah, this trick took me a few months to master, but it was worth it. It is one of my favourite ways to manipulate my Reiki. Rin, dunk to take the shampoo off." The child obliged and dunked, taking the chance to swim away. Kagome chuckled and let her go since she had finished cleaning her already. The girl resurfaced and began splashing water towards Shippo, who in return disappeared with a 'pop' just to reappear behind her and splash her on a surprise attack. Kagome took the chance and cleaned herself. When they returned it was completely dark and Sesshomaru left to bathe himself. Kagome spread her sleeping bag and put the kids in, but they were too agitated.

"Ok guys, you need rest. We still have travelling to do tomorrow." Shippo groaned and Rin fell silent. Both of them looking at her with a 'just a bit more' look. Kagome rolled her blue eyes and sat beside them. "Fine, how about a story to calm you down?" The kids nodded excitedly and she began to go through the library of stories she had in her memory. She'd go with a classic this time.

"This one is called The Beauty and The Beast. Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince who lived in a huge castle. The prince was proud and arrogant, he was used to mistreating those he didn't deem as beautiful. One day, however, an old lady wanted shelter from a rainstorm. Not deeming her worthy of entering his castle, he shunned her away. Turns out the old lady was a powerful sorceress, and she cursed the prince for his arrogance." She continued the story and began making reiki figures to show and interact as the story went on. Sesshomaru arrived back not long after she began and took the chance to see the Miko's creations up close. He watched as the beauty met the beast, whose pride and arrogance cost him his human form and curse his castle and servants. The figures interacted and fell in love with each other as the story went on. At some point, the characters began to dance and she hummed another song he never heard before. As the figures danced Kagome showed the whole scene as she remembered, the saloon, the stairs, the balcony. The kids' eyes sparkled with the pink show. The story reached its climax and the beast's curse was broken. When she was finished, both kids had a dreamy expression. She tucked them in and sat against a tree beside the one Sesshomaru was leaning against. To her surprise, Sesshomaru moved from his spot and sat beside her.

"Miko."

"Hm?"

"Where have you heard this tale?"

"Ah, it's a western classic from my time. Did you like it?"

"The beast seemed foolish." Kagome giggled at that. She brought her knees to her chest and rest her head on them, looking towards Sesshomaru.

"Yes, he was too proud to be kind to anyone. He kinda reminds me of you when we first met." She watched, amused, as he scowled for being compared to the character.

"My pride is deserved. His was given." Kagome had to agree.

"That's true." She blinked slowly, holding a yawn. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow when she perked up suddenly.

"I can't sleep here. I'll camp by the springs." She stood and started to walk when his hand held her wrist. She looked at him in question.

"That is not necessary. Sit." He commanded, and upon seeing her worried face, he explained. "This One will soothe you while you sleep."

"But... What about you? You need to sleep, right?" She asked him, her brows furrowing further.

"Not as often as humans." Kagome bit her lip, she didn't want to take Sesshomaru's rest from him, but knowing him, he wouldn't budge. So she turned and started to sit back on her spot, just to be pulled onto his lap. Her blush was instantaneous, she was beginning to get tired of blushing around him, it was happening too often. She was about to protest when his mokomoko snuggled around her comfortably and she heard his pur. The thought 'the mighty Lord Sesshomaru is purring' came to her mind. _That's so adorable._

"What amuses you, miko." He asked as he watched her struggling to hide a smile.

"Nothing." Kagome said as she slapped herself mentally. _He is doing this to soothe you, dummy, don't laugh at him._ "Sorry, I was just thinking... I didn't know Inu demons could pur?" She said, looking at him. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"It isn't a _pur._ It's a growl that we use to soothe our pups and mates." He explained. _It still sounds like a pur._ Kagome thought to herself… _Wait. Did he just say_ _mates_ _?_

"Miko." He pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"I wish to court you." He stated and Kagome moved to stare at him. It took her several moments to formulate a response to that, and he was beginning to grow visibly nervous.

"So you wish to make me your mate?" She asked slowly.

"That is the intention."

"That's a lifelong commitment, we'd be bound to each other until one of us die." She spoke as if explaining the obvious part he was missing, although it was her mind that wasn't processing the information.

"I am aware." He responded. Kagome's eyes wandered to the fire on the camp and her mind began to race. Courting was like dating for demons, they'd get to know each other and decide if that demon is the mate they seek. She knew there were a lot of implications to becoming a Lord's intended, such as challenges and ceremonies and all that royal bullcrap. That didn't really bother her though.

Kagome knew they had grown close, well at least that's how she saw it. She had to wonder, though, why did he want her? Sesshomaru was known for his coldness but she found out that he was quite charming once no prying eyes were upon him, he had an image to maintain after all. Wouldn't she soil that image? As much power as a Lord has, he still answers to a council. Kagome had a youkai Sensei that lived in the temple, the old lady was a bit whacky but taught her a lot about the youkai way of life.

Kagome thought about his jealousy bursts and his possessive actions back at the village. Those memories lit something within her. She looked at him again, studying his features and trying to read through the facade that was his unperturbed face. She could tell he was nervous since she could feel his hands lightly fidget against her skin. She decided that it wouldn't be a bad thing to see where this goes since courting was not a commitment bigger than having a boyfriend, and both of them could walk away if they found out it wouldn't work. There was just one thing she wouldn't admit.

"I don't want you to be doing this because of that stupid prophecy." She stated, looking into his golden eyes. He stared back and she almost couldn't keep her eyes on his intense gaze.

"Fate may guide us, but if this Sesshomaru did not desire you for who you are, he would not act on it." His voice was a tone deeper. She visibly relaxed and smiled at him.

"Then I accept your offer to court me." She just finished the sentence and he was kissing her. She smiled against his lips and returned the kiss with fervour. Sesshomaru was one hell of a lover and he wouldn't hesitate to show her that. The Killing Perfection would prove he was also perfect behind closed doors. The heated kiss went on until they needed to separate to breathe. Once they did, he held her tightly and kissed her forehead, whispering 'sleep' against it.

Kagome chuckled at his bossy whisper and shuffled in his lap, resting her head against his shoulder, letting her hand wander on his armour and kimono. She let her reiki enhance her nose and inhaled silently. His scent had caught her attention since the clearing, she never had such proximity with him before with the ability to smell like youkai. She had then memorized it, it had become one of her favourite scents. Exhaling slowly and closing her eyes, she let sleep claim her.

When she relaxed, Sesshomaru let out a silent sigh he didn't even know he was holding. This woman would definitely be the death of him. He never imagined, not once in his long life, that a female would _ponder_ before accepting his proposition of courtship. With his power, status, wealth and looks, he never expected to have to wait for a yes. It just took a simple side-glance and the tiniest smirk to summon a demoness to his room for some sexual release, and what they wouldn't do to become more than his toys. But this miko was a defiant creature and quite sincerely, it was refreshing for him, a turn on even, not that he would admit out loud. He liked the challenge. Although he'd have to teach her the behaviour of a Lady, lest the image he built would crumble from her constant defiance.

The night was calm and passed by quite fast, his thoughts keeping him entertained while he guarded his precious pack members. In the morning, Kagome woke up to Sesshomaru sitting her up. She groaned a 'don't wanna' and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Miko, we must move." He told her, amused at her pout. She groaned and moved her head towards his neck, sleepily wrapping her arms around it while she snuggled against his skin.

"Just five more minutes…" She said sleepily, her soft lips touching his skin and setting it on fire. He inhaled deeply and nuzzled her hair, deciding to focus on what she said instead of the building heat on his groin.

"What is a 'minute'?" She chuckled lightly and, after a brief moment, moved to look at him, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"It's a time measurement. Much like a 'moon cycle', only it is just a few short moments." She explained before she turned on his lap to stand. Only before she could do that, she felt a slick appendage make it's way from the crook of her neck to her earlobe. She felt her whole body shudder with heat and turned to look at Sesshomaru.

"D-did you just _lick_ me?!" She asked him in absolute shock. He nuzzled the hair behind her ear and she could _hear_ his smirk.

"It's Inu for 'good morning'." He responded to her. Kagome surprised herself by turning fully towards him and proceeding to shyly lick his cheek before getting up, her face so red you could almost see steam coming from it. _I can not believe I just licked Sesshomaru._ She heard him chuckle and it made her roll her eyes. While moving to wake up the children and prepare breakfast, she ordered her heart to calm the fuck down. After eating and packing, they were off again. This time Sesshomaru held her bridal style to travel.

They arrived before noon. The village the palace resided in was relatively close to the base of a mountain, the palace itself built against the raising rocks. The village was big and lively, Kagome could see so many people moving about underneath her. When they arrived at the palace, huge was the first word Kagome thought. The gates lead to an open area with a broad stairway attached to an open corridor, with a roof supported by pillars and intricate wooden rails in between those. The corridor connected two separate buildings, one more adorned than the other. The adorned one was built against the raising base of the mountain, whilst the other had more than one floor.

Sesshomaru put Kagome down next to Ah-Un and she helped Rin before grabbing her backpack from the dragon's saddle. Jaken promptly took Ah-Un to the stables, heading left. Shippo jumped on Kagome's shoulder and she took a look around, thanking herself mentally for using her blue yukata instead of her miko or demon slayer clothes. She had never seen so many demons in one place. The courtyard, that was bustling with activity, stood still for a moment as its occupants bowed low towards the arrival of their Lord, before continuing on with their business.

Sesshomaru signalled for his general to come forth and the Inu youkai obliged. His blonde hair was held in a low ponytail and he had light-blue eyes, red markings adorned the skin from his eyes to his temples.

"My Lord." He kneeled in front of Sesshomaru while bowing his head.

"Takeshi, I need a messenger in my study as soon as possible and the army to be readied."

"My Lord?" Takeshi stood up. He knew what this meant.

"The North has crossed a line and they will either pay for it accordingly or face my wrath. I also need a group of ten soldiers to head to Edo, near Inuyasha's forest to guard the village. Reports are to be sent to this One daily, written by the slayer that resides there. We are to be watchful of Northern spies and any soldier trespassing on the western territory is to be treated with hostility." Sesshomaru ordered, his voice was ice.

Takeshi gave him a bow and took a quick look at towards his ward. A young human woman was adjusting the little girl's kimono and speaking to her. She was quite the sight and the general wondered if his Lord had brought her to take care of Rin. Takeshi knew he wanted her to grow up with humans around. He then turned to the stairways and left.

Sesshomaru turned to the head of his servants, who was patiently awaiting his orders at his other side and began orienting her.

"You are to prepare the Lady's room for my ward and the kit, a guard is to accompany them at all times. Arrange one for my intended as well." At this, the Inu demoness stared at the direction of the human next to his ward, frantically searching for any sign of a female demon. There was none.

"Your… intended, milord?" The black haired Inu looked at the human one more time before catching his glare. She bowed low. "Of course milord, consider it done. Should I prepare a room for her as well? The Eastern Lord's daughter already occupies the room for the intended." Sesshomaru had to hold in a growl. That red-haired bitch had some nerve changing rooms on her own volition. But it didn't really matter.

"There is no need, she will be staying in this Sesshomaru's chambers." Aya almost gasped at that, but luckily contained it. She gave him another bow and moved to get to work.

Sesshomaru then turned to Kagome and motioned for her to follow him. As Kagome walked, she looked around, taking in her surroundings while ignoring the glares she was getting from the demons. She was pretty sure she smelled of Sesshomaru and he of her, because the females held the most hostility towards her, some even scrunched up their faces when she passed. Kagome had to conceal a smirk at the obvious jealousy. The palace was beautiful, the corridors were broad and she lost count on how many rooms they passed.

She followed Sesshomaru into a large room that had a lowered firepit at the center with cushions around it. Interestingly enough, the room didn't smell like smoke, and the fire didn't seem to be consuming the wood in it. _Fire demons._ Kagome thought. To the right of the firepit, there was a panel door leading to somewhere else. The largest futon Kagome has ever seen was placed in an elevated base against the back wall. Two nightstands adorned each side of it and there were a low desk and a wardrobe against the wall to its right. To the left of the futon, from a bigger distance, there was a sliding panel that was currently closed. The walls held the most beautiful paintings of landscapes in pastel tones, transformed Inus could be seen here and there.

"This is my room, you'll be staying here. The kit and Rin will stay in the Lady's room." Sesshomaru motioned to the door to her right.

"Lady's room? You mean like Lady of the West's room?" She inquired.

"Hn."

"Don't Ladies sleep with their Lords?" Kagome was at a loss, why in the world would there be a separate room.

"It's for the Lady's clothes, this One has ordered an adaptation so Rin and the kit could stay close." Kagome blushed, she had to figure a Lady would have a personal closet.

"This Sesshomaru has some urgent tasks to attend. Stay in here until your assigned guard arrives. You may use the springs as you please." He motioned to the panel next to his futon, and with that, he left the room towards his study.

Kagome watched as he closed the door behind him. Shippo jumped from her shoulder and began playing with Rin, their giggling caught Kagome's attention and she guided the children to the springs. It would be nice to bathe without needing to worry if anyone was watching for once.

The springs were just beautiful, the untouched nature around the natural rock formation was stunning. The floor tiles were a shade lighter than the boulders. There were two wooden benches with towels, soaps and body oils laid upon them. The kids were already playing in the water by the time she finished admiring the place. She stripped and took a look at the soaps displayed. She sniffed them to see which she liked and found out that the one with a sakura flower inside was sweet and delicate, just the way she liked it. She went with a matching body oil and walked to the springs. She had to hold in a moan as she entered the warmest hot spring she has ever set foot on. Figures the Lord of the West would keep the best to himself. She bathed the children and then herself.

Her whole body was relaxed and light when she got out of it. When she entered the room to dress herself and the kids, there were three outfits displayed on the futon for them. She dressed and then helped the kids into their clothes. Her kimono was just beautiful, the dark blue sleeves had a delicate geometric pattern in white that would make its way to the torso of the kimono. Sesshomaru returned a few minutes later to see Rin and the kit hitting each other with the cushions and Kagome brushing her damp hair next to them.

"Rin." He called, motioning to the door to his right. Rin took Shippo's hand and dragged him with her to the other room, where a maid was waiting. Once the door closed, Kagome stood up.

"So, what's happening?" She asked, watching him approach her. He didn't have his armour on, and she idly wondered where he kept it.

"This One has made preparations for probable confrontations. The soldiers are on their way to Edo and you." He said pulling her towards him, earning a surprised squeak. "You'll be staying here until I say otherwise." She looked up to a smirking Sesshomaru.

"Aren't you expressive today." She said, smirking back. He began running his fingers through her ebony locks, his arm not really reaching its end before he moved to repeat the motion.

"I will bathe and then take you to see the sorceress after we eat. I believe she has the ability required to help you and find out more about the time difference." Kagome nodded and buried her face in his chest.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." She said against his kimono. He remained silent and brushed her hair tenderly one last time before lifting her head and placing a quick kiss on her lips. He then moved towards his springs. Kagome sighed in contentment and it turned into a worried one midway, she could only hope this sorceress would be able to help.


	9. Revelations

Kagome waited for Sesshomaru on the kids' room. The short time they spent talking was all that was needed for the kid's maid to be turned into a demon burrito. Shippo and Rin had wrapped her with a futon and were riding atop of her, war cries leaving their tiny mouths as their imaginary battle went on. Kagome had to suffocate her laugh at the scene, she couldn't encourage this behaviour, but God was it hilarious. She scolded the kids, barely able to conceal a giggle or two and released the maid from her futon prison. By the time she made the kids put everything back in place, Sesshomaru had already finished his bath. He called her to follow them and they proceeded to the dining hall to eat lunch. The food was amazing, Kagome didn't even notice she was humming throughout the meal. Once lunch was over, the kids' maid and guard accompanied them to the gardens to spend some of that energy.

Sesshomaru told Kagome to follow him and she gladly did. They walked through so many corridors that Kagome knew she would never make it back on her own. They arrived at a room with an opening to a stone stairwell and Kagome followed him to a cavern lit with blue-flamed candles. It smelled and looked like an old library, a very messy one. There were books everywhere and a beautiful demoness sat upon several stacked tomes, fervently reading one. Her dark hair cascaded down the mound of books and coiled on the floor, on her hairline there were two dark horns that bent backwards and then up, two silver rings adorning each one close to the base. She wore a satin white dress that made Kagome wonder from what time and place she came from, it looked like something someone would wear on her time for an elegant event.

"Yukimi." Sesshomaru called and the demoness' pink eyes snapped to their direction.

"Ah, Lord Sesshomaru! It's been a while since your last visit! How may I help you?" Her voice was beautiful and Kagome couldn't help but let herself get entranced by it.

"This is the Shikon no Miko. She requires your assistance." he stated.

"But of course." She climbed down of her stack of books and walked towards them to meet Kagome, who still needed to come off her trance state. She placed both hands on Kagome's cheeks and stared into her eyes, startling the girl. "This is going to be invasive and unpleasant. I politely ask of you not to purify me, as it will be your first instinct to do so." Kagome's eyes widened and she hesitantly nodded. "Good, come, sit." Yukimi let go of her face and gestured towards a cushion that was hidden behind a mountain of books. As Kagome walked there, she introduced herself.

"I'm Kagome by the way. Don't you need to know what do I need help with?" Yukimi motioned for her to sit faster, she seemed eager to start. Kagome sat on the cushion and watched as the pink-eyed lady sat across from her on another cushion. Then the demoness responded.

"I'll find out soon enough. Souls never lied to me before. Now meditate." She said. Kagome looked over to Sesshomaru, clearly nervous, but he just watched in silence. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, blocking everything around her. As soon as she saw the swirling light of her power, she felt the invasion.

A white smoke, considerably smaller than her pink mist, began to form and immediately she had to fight with all her might to stop her power from overwhelming the invading energy. She watched, jaws clenched and nails digging into her hand, how the smoke surrounded her mist and explored it thoroughly. It kept a steady pace, invading her power. It inspected both seals and then came back to the first one. After a few seconds, Kagome felt the pulse of energy similar to what she experienced on the clearing and she gasped back to reality, her heart throbbing painfully.

She felt Sesshomaru's fingers under her chin, making her face him. She could see a blur of silver, fair skin and golden eyes. She reached her hand to his sleeve, grabbing it as she closed her eyes and let her heart and breathing calm down. How she hated this sensation, if Kami allowed it she would like to never feel it again. She heard nothing for a moment, but when she opened her eyes again her vision was back to normal. Sesshomaru then stood up, Kagome letting go of his sleeve. She felt pain on her hands but her attention was quickly grabbed by Yukimi.

"Lord Sesshomaru. What _is_ this girl?" She was standing, facing the Western Lord.

"A Child of Time." He answered, and Yukimi's eyes widened, then narrowed. She looked at Kagome with a weird expression, as if she wasn't really there. Kagome stood and stared back at the demoness.

Seeing such a creature look at her like she was a unicorn was quite interesting. And then Yukimi vanished, Kagome could hear books being thrown around in another area of the cavernous library. She felt the pain in her hands again and brought them up to look at them. There was four crescent moon shaped punctures on her palms and blood was leaking from it. She tried concentrating her reiki there but nothing happened. She looked at Sesshomaru with panic stamped clear on her face.

"It isn't working." She said to him. But Yukimi answered from somewhere in the cave.

"That is expected, you should be able to use your Reiki by sunset." The sweet voice echoed and Kagome frowned.

Sesshomaru took one of her hands and Kagome blushed violently as he started licking her wounds. When the last puncture was healed she started pulling her hand but he held it in place, licking away the blood on her palm and fingers. She watched as he sucked her fingers clean one by one, his eyes on her. His tongue was doing things and Kagome began to feel that now familiar heat she felt with him around. Being done with one hand, he took the other, licking her blood eagerly and healing it. She began panting slightly as his eyes tainted red. He had to finish before he lost control, her arousal and her taste were enticing his beast and if this went on, he would claim her right here.

Sesshomaru finished his job with precise licks. When he was done, he bent her wrist so that the back of her hand faced him, and kissed it. Kagome's face made him grin against her hand, she was in complete and utter shock. He let go of her hand, replacing his mask, as Yukimi came back with a very old looking book.

Kagome was still processing the fact that the cold Lord of the West just kissed her hand like a gentleman. The gesture was so romantic she just couldn't process who was doing it. She held her hand against her racing heart as Yukimi shuffled through the book, ignoring the heavy scent of arousal in the air. Many things were happening today that was just plain shocking. The Lord bringing the Shikon no Miko, said Miko being as powerful as him, if not more so. The mating mark on her neck, the smell of _his_ arousal, which could only be found within his chambers when he had his toys over. Never he let himself be provoked anywhere else.

And then there was this Miko's _intriguing_ power, it was almost as if it had its own will, its own protective instincts for the miko. And it wasn't complete either, there were two energy fissures keeping something hidden away. She inspected both of them, but when she tried releasing one, her power reacted violently and kicked her out.

"Aha!" Yukimi exclaimed when she found the page she was looking for. "Tell me, Miko, has your soul been divided?"

"Uh, yes. A witch tried resurrecting my incarnation and she took part of my soul in the process."

"How long has your incarnation roamed?"

"About three and a half years. She has been resurrected again nine... no, three years ago. Three seasonal cycles." Kagome explained.

"That's a large gap in time to confuse." Yukimi observed.

"This is another matter that I seek answers to. Apparently, I spent seven years in the western temple, and for the rest of the world, only one year passed." She told Yukimi, whose eyes were glued on her. Her gaze so intense it was uncomfortable to look at.

"Hm. I may know someone who'll have more knowledge about this. Now tell me, how is it that your incarnation is alive and your soul is still whole?"

"I don't know. She has no recollection of how she came to be or who brought her back. She just... appeared."

"I see. I'll have to investigate further but for now, I'll explain to you what I've discovered." She examined the page one more time before speaking again. "Your soul is fractured, the part stolen by your incarnation has not yet reintegrated itself fully. I noticed you have already fixed a few fissures, allowing your power to restore part of what was stolen. However, the last fissures must be fixed by someone with a deep connection with you. Your soul is hurt, it holds onto an old pain and it refuses to reintegrate if its demands are not met. A soul mating would be able to fix one of the fissures, it would give access to someone you deeply trust to release it." She explained.

"One of the fissures? You said both of them would be fixed by someone close to me."

"Yes, but not the same person." Kagome just stared, waiting for the rest. "You must bare a child." Now both her and Sesshomaru were staring.

"How _exactly_ having a baby will help fix my soul?" She inquired, simply failing to understand how a child would help.

"You are a Miko, correct? That means most of your incarnations were Mikos too. Traditionally, Mikos are not supposed to marry or have children. However your last incarnation loathed this fate, and having such hate concentrate on a smaller part of your soul, it has incorporated the wish to defy her fate deeply. A child naturally has a connection to the mother, and the birth would probably fix the issue."

"Are you aware of what my aura does?" Kagome asked her.

"Oh yes, most curious how your bare soul forcefully searches for comprehension. What about it?" Yukimi had a lot of interest and uses for such an aura. It was a weapon if used correctly.

"With only the mating, would that effect go away or at least stop it from spreading on its own?"

"Hmm, I wouldn't think so, what gives your aura such ability is your soul's pain. That means both wishes must be granted for it to behave again. If it weren't for those fissures, a mating would suffice." The smell of salt hit her nose as she watched Kagome give her a polite bow and walk away without a word. Sesshomaru waited for her to leave before asking Yukimi.

"Is there no other way?"

"Why, Lord Sesshomaru, not eager on having an heir so soon? Or at all, since it would be a Hanyou?"

He glared at the sorceress, Yukimi laughed.

"Well now, no need to get all worked up. The answer is yes, that's the only way. Unfortunately, souls like hers are powerful, and being eternal entities, when they begin to _want_ something, they'll get it."

"Is it guaranteed that her aura will return to normal?"

"Yes. Although it may have been her own sorrow that triggered the change, she now needs to realize her incarnation's deepest desires to be rid of the effect." She stated and watched as he hn'd and left. With a hum of satisfaction, Yukimi looked at the book in her hands, a smirk on her lips at the glimpse of an interesting future ahead. She couldn't wait for her Lord to mate the Miko and see how much her power grows. But for now, she had an incarnation to investigate and an old fool to summon.

Kagome finally found her way to Sesshomaru's room, it took at least ten minutes until the guard decided she was lost and guided her toward the Lord's chambers. She barely noticed when he told her to follow, but her instincts made her do it anyway. She wasn't sure about what to do, she was angry and frustrated. Leave it to Kikyou to ruin her life, _again_. She felt like running or punching something, she wanted to relieve her frustrations and destroy something with her own hands. But instead of doing any of that, she sat by the firepit, knees pressed hard against her chest as she buried her face in them. And silently her tears flowed, slowly wetting her beautiful kimono while her sobs shook her whole body. She remained like that for what seemed like hours before a hand touched her head. The hand slid to her back and another moved under her knees to pick her up and she found herself in Sesshomaru's lap again. She buried her face on his chest, holding the collar of his kimono firmly. They kept quiet for a few minutes while Kagome's silent sobs began to wither. After searching for the right words, she spoke.

"What if it doesn't change? What if I mate and bring another life to this world and can't care for it properly because I can't control my own aura? I can't even let you sleep when I'm around." She choked out. She couldn't bear the thought of not being able to stay close to Shippo, who was quite independent, imagine a baby that needed her close more than anything.

"It will change." He assured her. She didn't speak for a few minutes, trying her best to believe and trust his judgement. He gently brushed her hair with his clawed fingers, also in deep thought. That action reminded her of something, so she spoke.

"I didn't know you were the romantic type." She said, her brows furrowing.

"There are many things no one knows about me. Did you really think I'd be cold with the woman I intend to mate?" He asked her, and she chuckled. She began to wonder what exactly he saw in her to feel like she was mate material. Speaking of which...

"Sesshomaru?"

"Hn."

"Were you offended by something after your fight with Ryuji?" She asked, looking at his strong neck tensing.

"What would make you think that?"

"I don't know, it's just the way you looked at me after punching him away. Your mask can't hide it all you know." She said, moving to be able to look at him. He raised an eyebrow to her. "So, what was bothering you?"

Sesshomaru stopped to recall the time she was referring to. He was obviously upset that the monk had tried to sweep her away, but that wasn't something he wasn't expecting or made him angry enough to show through his 'mask', as she called. He thought a bit backwards and her words hit him again.

"What would make you think this One only looks at you for your power?" He asked her, a hint of anger behind his words. Her eyes widened. _That's why he was bothered?_

"I-uh… Wasn't that why you sought me after the clearing incident?" She asked him, tilting her head.

"It was one of the reasons, yes." He told her.

"Why else then?" She asked, eager to know what called his attention towards her. He held a chuckle at how she almost emanated curiosity.

"For one, your loyalty is something this One has never seen before. Your courage and bravery are also singular. Your beauty surpasses any demoness' that ever crossed my path. Your scent…" He nuzzled her neck right under her ear, inhaling deeply and feeling the sweet strawberry scent spike considerably. "... is intoxicatingly addictive. Your taste even more so." He licked her jawline towards her ear and smirked when her arousal spiked even further. "You are much more than just your power, Kagome." He whispered hoarsely against her ear, feeling her hands slide up his chest and neck, then fist his hair, pulling him back. He growled but was interrupted by Kagome's lips, hungrily seeking his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, letting his tongue thoroughly explore her mouth. He reached for her sash when someone knocked at the door.

"What's with the interruptions? It's the third time!" He growled in irritation.

"I don't know, but everything leads me to believe that it's because Kami hates me." She responded.


	10. Underestimations

The regally dressed man laid sideways on the floor of the balcony holding a smoking pipe, his black hair was tied in a high ponytail and cascaded behind him, coiling on itself while his light blue eyes tried their best to look solely at the garden ahead of him. However, much to his irritation, a woman paced up and down the balcony in front of him, obstructing the view from time to time. He wouldn't dare say anything, however, since she was glaring daggers at him every time she changed direction. So he just watched as her purple kimono came in and out of view, trying to focus solely on the peaceful garden. He groaned internally when the pillar of silk stopped in front of him, then took a long drag from his pipe and held the smoke in his lungs for a bit, before letting go and looking up.

"What?" He asked, irritated.

She just narrowed her teal eyes at him, her pupils becoming the thinnest of slits. Oh, she was pissed. This lazy, good for nothing _kitten_ was getting on her nerves with his carelessness. Her eyes flashed red when he sighed.

"This Yuuto already told you he has everything under control." She refrained from rolling her royal eyes at him.

"Under control?" She scoffed. "Our puppet is now useless, your pathetic excuse of a kidnapping went straight to the gutter and now we have the Western Lord on our throats. That Miko is under his protection and there goes the plan to prevent her from mating an Inu. If anything, we upgraded her partner to a pure-breed! Tell me, oh please tell me, little brother, how do you delude yourself to the point you think you are in control." She snapped at him, her voice sharp, but never above a soft tone. Never she would raise her voice above a royally acceptable level. Yuuto begrudgingly stood, holding a regal posture in front of his sister. She glared at him, her black locks swaying slightly while she tapped her fan on her chin. The siblings had similar markings, three maroon short slits adorned their cheeks and their eyelids had a black line that curved lightly into a pointed end at the outer edge. The male inhaled deeply before speaking, and when he did, it sounded like he was explaining something to a child for the tenth time.

"The puppet has access to the Miko's allies, especially the children, and that is of high value to us. The Miko being on the western palace means nothing, she will leave in due time. Sesshomaru is not a threat, his love for humans has the other Lords deeming him weak and he won't have their support on a confrontation against us. Therefore the real problem I see would only present itself in six months. And that is if Sesshomaru pups the Miko right away, which I doubt greatly. We have time, Yuuko. Stop your worrying."

"What of the Hanyou? He is powerful." Yuuko asked, still not convinced their plan hadn't crumbled away.

"You couldn't possibly mean Inuyasha, so I'll take it you are referring to the Southern general's son. Sesshomaru will deal with him, he is a possessive creature and the hanyou wants the Miko to himself. Mommy fetishes I suppose. Either way, one of them will die by the claws of the other and that is one problem out of our way. We may even get a combo and get one dead and the other severely wounded." He told her matter of factly and heard his sister huff.

"I told you to take the child before the Miko returned, but you waited too long. For whatever reason beyond my rational comprehension." Yuuto sighed again. The miko interrupting the operation to retrieve Sesshomaru's ward was quite the blow on their plans, it took away the leverage to force the West into an alliance or the excuse to put down a crazed dog. They should've prepared the operation earlier, but he wanted their puppet ready first. Inuyasha took his sweet time to impregnate her, and a meagre moon cycle later, the Miko had returned with Sesshomaru, of all people, in her pocket. It took another cycle of spying and precaution to understand the situation before acting once again, and when they did, the Miko proved to be a bigger nuisance than the Lord himself. But they would manage, they always did.

"We can use this situation to our advantage still. Prepare a messenger, we are going to contact the Eastern prince." Yuuto grinned maliciously as his sister clicked her tongue and walked towards the corridor. A private word with a certain wolf was sure to cause some distractions. Yuuto chuckled at the realisation of how easy it was to manipulate the canine family.

* * *

 **Edo**

Ryuji was giving the panther prisoner water when he heard the soldiers approaching. It had been only two days since Kagome left, these guys moved fast! They were mostly Inu demons but he saw a few other types amongst them. Neko, bird, even a dragon marched their way towards the village. There were ten of them. He sighed in relief, now he'd be able to leave the village and challenge the uptight Lord for Kagome's hand. He knew he had what it took to help her, and knew exactly how to do that, unlike the arrogant Inu. Since the first day in the springs she was all he could think about, she was absolutely perfect for him. Her acceptance, her knowledge, her power, her strength. The more he discovered about her from stories and actions, the more he wanted her to be his.

He undid the spell on the panther, keeping him bound but visible, as the soldiers approached and he walked towards them to explain who the spy was and what to do with him. He also oriented them about the entrances of the village and what they had done so far to stop stealthy demons from entering. The one in command nodded and proceeded to orient the soldiers on creating a campsite and building guard posts, while Ryuji went to ask the villagers to help. They were quite nervous at the arrival of so many demons, but Sango had explained that they would come to protect them right after Kagome left. Most guards had their noses scrunched up at the smell of humans, the others had a completely bored look on them. With everything taken care of and the twilight upon them, Ryuji proceeded to return to Miroku's house.

"Miroku." He called against the shut panel of his friend's study. He told Ryuji to come in and he obliged. He was sat on the ground making more sutras and looked up at the Hanyou.

"I know that face. You are leaving aren't you?" Miroku asked and Ryuji nodded.

"I can't let Lady Kagome be with someone so cold as that daiyoukai. She deserves better." He stated matter of factly. Miroku was about to say something when a feminine voice came from behind them. Ryuji turned to see Sango leaned against a wall with Kirara on her arms.

"I am sorry to burst your bubble, but the decision of whoever Kagome will be with lies with her. She isn't a submissive woman." She stated, watching as Ryuji's eyes narrowed towards her.

"I'll challenge him and win. She can choose not to be with me, but I will not let that flea-ridden mutt have her."

"He'll have her if she wants to be with him. Period. Kagome is loyal and if he won her loyalty, there isn't much you can do. Inuyasha used to break her heart over and over and she still stood by his side. Hell, she came back to the village where there's a constant reminder of the love she lost because they are friends." Sango stated, feeling irritated that they'd treat her friend like an object that could be taken away from someone. It didn't matter if it was youkai tradition, Kagome had the right to be happy and if she wanted to stay with that demon lord of all people, as long as he treats her right, she had Sango's full support. Kagome had taught so much to Sango and she wouldn't miss a chance to defend her friend's honour.

"Then I'll just have to win her heart." The hanyou said, a grin adorning his handsome face. Sango sighed. _Men._

"Well, you look quite determined. I must advise you that now that Sesshomaru knows of your nature, he will prepare accordingly." Miroku said, worrying for his friend's well-being.

"Oh don't worry, I can handle that prick just fine." With that said, he turned to get his belongings, leaving behind a concerned Miroku and an irritated Sango.

* * *

 **Western Palace**

After the general had interrupted their little make-out session, Kagome was trapped either in the kids' or Sesshomaru's room, at least until her Reiki returned. There were a lot of aggressive females in the building and Sesshomaru didn't want to risk her getting hurt, even though she told him she could handle herself without her Reiki. When twilight came and she felt her power wake up, Kagome took the kids to the gardens for a stroll. Sesshomaru, who had been buried in paperwork the whole afternoon, gladly accompanied them on the gardens to relax a bit. He noticed how Kagome began to fidget as the night darkened further, glancing at him every now and then.

"What ails you?" He asked her after her tenth sigh.

"I just... Maybe I should let you sleep tonight? I can camp somewhere relatively close, so it wouldn't be a problem to come back in the morning. You were so busy today and I am sure you are tired. I feel so bad for making you stay awake the whole night, you must get bored out of your mind. I don't know if-" He interrupted her rambling with a clawed finger pressing against her lips.

"I can stay weeks without sleeping and you relax me thoroughly with your aura, so I do rest. And there is no way I would get bored with how much you talk in your sleep... When you are not snoring at least." He said, trying hard to suppress a grin at seeing Kagome reddening by the second.

"I don't snore!" She practically yelled at him, making Shippo and Rin laugh in the distance. She lowered her tone at that. "And what do you mean I talk?!"

"You mumble about random subjects. I've tested, you are even able to answer questions. We've chatted a couple of times now." This time a smirk surfaced and Kagome just wanted to hide. She could only imagine the random bullcrap that came out of her mouth. She normally wouldn't believe if someone told her that, but Sesshomaru didn't lie, and by the smirk on his face, she wouldn't like the subjects they talked about. When she didn't speak, he continued. "Also, you are actually helping the whole palace have a good night of sleep, especially with the tension of a possible war growing near. There is no reason for you to leave." He stated and began walking again.

Kagome walked beside him, a bit dumbfounded as she considered the implications of what Sesshomaru said. He had a point about the relaxation thing for the palace, but could he really go so many days without sleep? Especially if the days were going to be as busy as the last ones? She spied on him by the corner of her eye. He didn't show any sign of tiredness, only stress over what's going on. She sighed again and felt his gaze on her.

"Fine. But at the first sign of exhaustion, I'm running to the forest so you can rest." She said, that stubborn expression on her face again. He rolled his eyes mentally. The evening went by peacefully up until dinner time arrived. They walked to the dining room and as soon as they entered Kagome felt Sesshomaru tense. She looked at the table and saw a red-haired wolf demoness sitting on the cushion to the right of the Lord's. Knowing that this was a private dining room, and the only ones allowed were the ones pointed by the Lord himself, Kagome knew the demoness was in trouble.

"Are you lost, Lady Aihara?" He asked calmly, barely containing the ice in his voice. Clinking could be heard as Aihara moved to face them, Kagome couldn't help but think about those aunts that you knew are coming a mile away because of their jewellery.

"Whatever would make you think that, my Lord?" She responded sweetly, although her eyes were fixed on Kagome with anger swirling in her dark green irises.

"You seem to find yourself in the wrong dining area." She was about to retort when he spoke again. "No matter, a guard will escort you to the guests dining room."

"I am not a _guest,_ my Lord. As your intended, I am practically family." She said with a smirk on her ruby lips.

Kagome eyed the demoness curiously. The wolf was beautiful, she had to admit, but just looking at her you could see she wasn't much of a fighter. In fact, she looked like a spoiled princess. She wore so much makeup that if you were to swing a pillow at her face, a perfect impression of her features would be forever stamped in it. She had so many jewels adorning her it became irritatingly overwhelming to look at her and even her hair was styled in a complicatedly adorned Yoko-Hyougo hairdo. She looked like a walking trinket, those that had so many pendants and details that it became annoying to the eye and noisy. Kagome blinked out of her silent observations when she noticed the silence. She looked around to find everyone in the room looking at her, making her blush.

"What?" She asked, looking at Sesshomaru. Who answered, however, was Aihara.

"I've challenged you for the title of intended of the Western Lord, pet." She said coldly. Kagome looked at her, tilting her head.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't hear it over the constant clinking of your entire jewellery box. Would you mind repeating yourself?" She heard Rin and Shippo snickering behind her and didn't need to look at Sesshomaru to know he smirked ever so slightly. Aihara fumed but obliged. Resting her head on her hand, creating more clinking sounds, she said in an impatient tone.

"I, Lady Aihara, daughter of the Eastern Lord Tori, challenge you, human filth, for the ti-" She stopped mid-sentence as her cheek hit the table and both her arms were pulled back and held in a tight grasp. Kagome hovered above the wolf with a bored expression, her raven locks swaying around them to create two thick curtains, while the demoness stared at her with wide eyes. She didn't even see the human moving.

"Let's start again. My name is Kagome, but you may address me as Shikon no Miko when formally challenging me. If you call me anything other than Lady Kagome or my title, I will not hesitate in putting you in your place, as it is my right as the alpha female of Lord Sesshomaru's pack. Now, challenge me properly." She said in a cold tone, although nothing but boredom transpired through her features. Aihara bared her fang at her and snarled. Kagome's eyes narrowed and she began infusing one of the demons bracelets with Reiki, burning the skin underneath. The demon shrieked in pain and after a few seconds, realising that no one was going to take the human off of her, she spoke in a trembling voice.

"I, Lady Aihara, daughter of the Eastern Lord Tori, challenge you, Shikon no Miko, for the title of intended of the Western Lord and alpha female of his pack." She panted out. Kagome let her go and straightened before speaking.

"I accept your challenge. The duel will take place tomorrow afternoon. Now if you'll kindly leave my sit without a fuss. I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate being dragged out like some overly adorned rice bag." The kids tinkling laughter hit her ears again as she watched a very pissed Aihara storm out the door while cradling her burnt wrist. When she was out of view, the guards let out a small chuckle.

Kagome took her seat as well as Sesshomaru and the kids and the dinner was a smooth sail from then on. After that, the kids were taken to their room and Kagome to Sesshomaru's study, where his general stood waiting. Kagome looked at both males in question, and Sesshomaru spoke.

"Takeshi." Sesshomaru greeted.

"Milord." He bowed briefly.

"This is the Shikon no Miko, you will be assisting in her training from now on." He stated. Kagome's eyes lit with interest, but the general didn't seem to like the idea as he eyed the small miko from head to toe. Kagome watched, bored, as another demon underestimated her. But nonetheless, she would be polite. After all, he was going to help her training.

"It's nice to meet you, general. I'm Kagome Higurashi, I look forward to becoming stronger through your training." She said with a slight bow. Sesshomaru turned and before he walked away, he spoke.

"Take this time to discuss the details, this One needs to do a few more preparations for your upcoming challenge." And with that, he left his study. Takeshi didn't want to waste time, so he began talking.

"You can start your base training with the younger soldiers. There is no need for weapons as of now you need to build strength. I don't have ti-" He was interrupted by a sigh. "Does something displease you, miko?" He asked sharply.

"Yes, I tire of demons' prejudice, not that it can be helped. I request a duel with you. After my challenge, you can enter the arena and we'll play. Until then I have nothing to discuss with you since I'll have to prove my strength either way to get proper training." She stated in a monotone and left a stunned Takeshi behind, headed to Sesshomaru's room. Her guard following quietly. She waited for Sesshomaru while reading a book, trying to shove her irritation away. The nerve of that general! He didn't even take the time to read her power like she knew he could. Nonetheless, tomorrow would be a fun day. It was exactly like Ryuji said, it was extremely amusing to have your enemies underestimate your power, just for you to kick their arrogant ass.


	11. A wild ride

Kagome stirred on the futon, her back was against something smooth and warm, and she could feel something hard against her butt. She blushed, but a wicked grin made its way to her lips and she rubbed the area in question against the hardness. The soft growl coming from behind her sent chills through her spine all the way to the apex between her thighs. She moaned lightly and felt open mouth kisses on her shoulder, going up of her neck and then to her ear. Once the mouth got there, it began nibbling on it. She felt the tickles and began squirming and giggling. Immediately arms wrapped around her so she wouldn't get away from the newfound torture. She began to grow breathless.

"Sess-" was all that the giggles let come out. He kept it going for a bit until he felt she _really_ needed to breathe.

"Hm?" He hummed his response in her ear, feeling her shudder on his embrace. He let his grip on her loosen so she could turn to face him. She was panting slightly and a sweet blush stained her cheeks, her mouth in a smile reminiscent of her giggles. He idly wondered when she'd become so charming to him.

"You are _evil_." She said once she caught her breath.

"You flatter me." He smirked to her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer towards her lips. His beast purred inside of him.

 **We could get used to this.**

 _Indeed._

But before a kiss could turn into something else, her stomach growled loudly making both of them stop.

"Perhaps we should feed the beast in your stomach first." He suggested, smirking at her ever-increasing blush. She nodded and with a last peck on her lips, he got up. They dressed and Kagome went to the other room to wake the kids.

Breakfast was delicious, and Kagome felt thrilled. She was expecting a lot from today's activities and couldn't wait to get the day started. She would teach the kids and make Shippo practice his Kitsune tricks through the morning, and then after lunch, she would have some fun. Kagome disliked fights to the death, obviously, but duels like these? She began to love them the minute she was able to handle herself. Her sensei was also a reason for the change. The former general spent six years teaching her everything she knew, pushing her to her limit. She absolutely adored him, even if it took a whole year to convince him to train her. And then combat became thrilling, the adrenaline was almost like ecstasy. She had a few tricks up her sleeve since she learned martial arts during the three years she spent on her era. They began to move out of the dining hall once breakfast was over but Sesshomaru held her back.

"Miko." Kagome turned on her heels to face him.

"Yes?"

"Did you schedule your training with my general?" She tensed.

"I… uh, sort of?" She smiled nervously at him, who just narrowed his eyes at her. After five seconds of that molten gold intensity, she gave up. "I didn't, I scheduled a duel instead."

"You _what_?" He snarled at her and Kagome felt her throat dry suddenly.

"Well, he was going to put me to train with pups!" She lifted her arms in frustration.

"You shouldn't challenge my _general_. He is in that position for a reason." Kagome rolled her eyes at him.

"I know. It'll prove my point further." She said and walked towards the kids' room, ending the conversation. She had read his general's power, he'd be a fun challenge after her warm up with Aihara. She looked forward to leaving her lover with his eyes wide. She hasn't really been able to showcase her full strength to him, and she looked forward to it.

Sesshomaru was fuming. Why the hell was Kagome acting all defiant and talking about beating his general in a duel? Is she out of her mind?! He stormed to his study to find a bird demon waiting inside. The demon bowed and then handed him the scroll, it was Sango's report. Sesshomaru read it and smirked, at least he'd have some fun in a few days. He dismissed the messenger and called Takeshi with his aura. Today was going to be a very long day…

* * *

Noon soon came and Kagome was so excited she didn't notice that she was sending slight pulses of her aura every now and then. She was trying to teach Shippo and Rin, who were being impossibly energetic when the guard announced they were to go to the dining area. She got up and stretched while Rin and Shippo ran ahead of her with their guard following behind.

Kagome entered the dining room to see, as expected, Sesshomaru already seated in the central spot. Rin and Shippo were fighting over who'd sit next to her.

"Hey you two, it's fine. I can sit in the middle so you'll both be next to me, how's that?" They beamed at her and Kagome picked the cushion beside Sesshomaru, placing it between Rin and Shippo's and sitting down. She laughed at the kids suddenly wanting her attention. Sesshomaru signalled to his servant and they brought the food. This lunch was a noisy one. The kids would go on and on with stories and Kagome hummed while eating, stifling a giggle here and there at the kids' antics.

Once lunch was done, she dismissed the kids, who hugged her tight before leaving towards the gardens. She was feeling so good she even forgot about the discussion she had earlier with Sesshomaru. So, before leaving, she walked past him and let his silky hair slide through her hand, her fingertips lightly touching the fabric on his back. She looked at him over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her lips. That is until she found herself spread upon the table with Sesshomaru hovering over her, his knee between her thighs. She noticed from the corner of her eyes the servants leaving the room.

"Hi there." She teased. Sesshomaru bent further to nuzzle her neck and she felt him inhale deeply. Just with that Kagome's arousal spiked, making his eyes bleed red while he leaned back to look at her, his eyes taking in every detail of her face. She reached her hand up and brushed his fringe back, sliding her fingers towards his jagged strips. He closed his eyes while leaning towards her touch. He was so handsome, it always left Kagome stunned when she would think about how he wanted her as a mate.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes again to look at the woman underneath him. Everything in her was calling to him since she entered the room. Hell, since noon came, he could barely concentrate because of her, no one could, she kept letting pulses of her aura loose, brightening everyone's mood. During lunch, her scent was deliciously invading his nostrils and he could barely taste the food. He noticed how the kids were fighting for her attention, which had never happened before today. The servants and guards were not eyeing her, but he could see they were satisfied. Sesshomaru listened as she hummed while eating and had to keep his arousal hidden. And then this… this _minx_ decided to slide her fingers across his shoulders, lightly caressing his hair while doing so. And he lost it, and there they were.

He pressed his knee against her core and she mewled lightly. It was music to his ears, and he wanted more, so much more. He began by caressing her cheek and sliding his hand down towards her collarbone, his eyes locked on hers. He followed the rim of her kimono all the way to the sash and when he got there, he used his claw to rip it. She rolled those beautiful blue eyes at him, making him smirk. After the sash was dealt with, he slowly ran his hand around her curves to spread her kimono. His mouth watered at the sight of her lace covered body. Her weird black undergarments, probably from her time, provoked him, daring him to rip them off of her. He was about to do just that when a distant sound echoed. Kagome frowned, she thought they had at least an hour before the challenge started... maybe they ate later than usual.

"The challenge." She reminded him, and he let out a frustrated growl, it was the second time he'd have to stop their fun, just _today_. She giggled and caressed his hair. "Our timing sucks doesn't it?" She told him with a smile on her lips. He leaned down and licked her neck all the way to her temple, memorizing her addictive taste while ignoring her weird statement, that was probably true.

He then got up and she took his hand to stand. Folding her kimono shut, she sighed at the ripped sash. She placed the ripped parts together and created a few reiki strands to hold it in place until she could change clothes. He watched her with barely concealed hunger in his features. He lost control too easily around her, he'd have to work on that. She walked to him to give him a quick kiss but he embraced her, grabbing her ass to bring her up to a very heated kiss. She pulled back after a bit, giggling as he trailed nips down her neck.

"What's with you today?" She asked amidst his affectionate attack. He didn't answer but did let her go after one last peck on her lips. She had a challenge to get over with so he'd be able to _finally_ pleasure her. She wouldn't escape his claws today. Kagome glanced at him once more before running towards his room to change.

Once there she quickly put her slayer clothes on and braided her hair, then rolling it into a bun so it wouldn't get in the way. She looked at her katana that laid close to her backpack. Should she bring it? She decided she should, if it wasn't permitted she'd just leave it aside.

Kagome made her way to the arena at the back of the left building, noticing for the first time that the guards weren't glaring at her like usual, they seemed to be in a rather good mood. She found it odd, she was wearing demon slayer garments after all. That puzzled her so much that she walked right past the exit that led outside. Rolling her eyes she made her way back. And once outside she became instantly nervous. Almost everyone who wasn't a guard was there to watch. The arena was a large square with walls surrounding it, and behind them, there were elevated seats filled with demons. There were at least four hundred pairs of demonic eyes on her, she felt almost naked. At the center of a wall to her side, there was a covered area where Sesshomaru was sitting on a throne, two servants on each side of him. He looked intently at her, his head supported by his arm which was resting on the throne. He gave her a smirk and she heard gasps from the crowd. At least not all eyes were on her. She smirked back and made her way to the center of the arena, halfway there she saw Aihara coming towards her from the other side.

She looked stunning, all her trinkets left behind and her face free of makeup, the demoness was a true beauty. She wore a black battle yukata embroidered with red wolves in their beast form all over it. Kagome almost felt bad for soiling such an outfit. The wolf's hair was secured in a high ponytail and she seemed to be enjoying herself as much as Kagome. Once they stood in front of each other, a few feet separating them, they waited for Sesshomaru to announce the start of the duel. Kagome didn't take her eyes off of the female in front of her, the wolf emanated confidence and the miko could barely contain a grin that wanted to take over her lips. Sesshomaru announced that no weapons were allowed and since Kagome had already left her katana by the entrance, she didn't need to move. She thought that probably they wouldn't be permitted anyways, and if they were she could fetch them later.

When Sesshomaru's voice boomed and announced the start of the duel, she watched Aihara's eyes turn instantly red and she shot herself towards Kagome. Kagome felt her Reiki fill her limbs and jumped high, leaving Aihara clawing the air where she once stood. Kagome had an idea. Concentrating her Reiki on her fingertip, much like Sesshomaru, she whipped her power towards the wolf below her, wrapping the pink whip around her limbs and waist and throwing her with force against a wall once she landed. There was a loud cracking sound followed by gasps. Kagome waited for the female's next move. The demoness stood up and cleaned the blood dripping from her mouth, she trembled with anger and it didn't take long for her to sprint forward again. Kagome watched, amused, as Aihara jumped at the slightest movement, the wolf really thought her stupid enough to dodge the same way twice. A smirk made its way to Kagome's lips and she used her Reiki whip to force Aihara down to the ground, hitting the demoness' back hard on the sturdy floor. Aihara gasped for air and felt another two ribs break.

"I suppose your jewellery box is indeed bigger than your strength." Aihara heard the miko tease her with an amused tone. The sound of her voice snapped her beast and she began to transform. She watched as the red-haired demoness released her youki and transformed herself into a wolf twice the size of Kagome herself. Her bright red eyes held deep green pupils and her fur was a deep maroon red. Kagome couldn't help but think she was beautiful. The wolf snarled at her and Kagome cocked her head. Maybe it was time she actually made a move. With that in mind, Kagome sprint towards the female and watched, almost in slow motion, as the wolf charged towards her, jaws opening to rip her to shreds. She dodged the bite by inches, sliding under the demoness while creating a muzzle around her snout with Reiki, two ropes giving her full control of the demoness' head. She pulled the ropes with force under the demoness and her head was forced downward, snout facing the ground. Kagome stood and jumped backwards forcefully and the demon lost her footing, falling onto her back with a yelp. Reiki chains held her down and Kagome sat on the wolf's neck, her hand shining pink, inches from her throat.

"Submit." She ordered. When all she got was a growl and resistance, she lightly touched the wolf. Immediately you could smell burnt fur and skin, the demoness began to squirm trying to get away. Aihara was almost blind in rage, the human had humiliated her fully by muzzling her like a wild animal, and then making her fall onto her back so comically. She swore to herself that this was not over, that she'd get rid of the human no matter what, even if right now she lost. She heard the miko speak again.

"Submit or I'll be forced to end you right here." Kagome stated. The demon wolf stopped for a second before she transformed back, Kagome moved so she wouldn't sit on the woman's breasts but kept her body bound to the ground.

"I submit." She hissed. Kagome got up and let the demoness stand up. The now defeated wolf limped towards the entrance she came from and healers were already there waiting for her. Kagome stretched, now the real fun would begin. She looked towards Sesshomaru, who was watching her intently. He signalled to a servant and she disappeared behind the throne. About two minutes later she watched Takeshi coming from where Aihara disappeared. He wore his usual armour and uniform and had a grin on his face which made Kagome grin back. Oh yes, this was going to be fun. She stared at the handsome blonde Inu that walked towards her, although his beauty didn't even begin to compare to Sesshomaru's, she still thought him handsome. She heard Sesshomaru announce that swords were allowed in the fight, and Kagome immediately whipped her katana towards her. She never thought of using her reiki like this, but discovering how fun and convenient it was, she'd make a habit of it. She placed the sheathed weapon on her blue sash and waited for further commands to begin the fight.

Sesshomaru had dreaded this duel, but seeing how Kagome handled with ease a transformed wolf demoness, his interest peaked tenfold. Kagome had told him she'd tackled him not to hurt him, which he scoffed at. But now he was getting a strange urge, he wanted to fight her himself to prove her theory, he wanted her to be able to hurt him. He'd seen the size of her power when he visited her center, and it was as big as his own. But raw power meant nothing if untrained, one would take years to master a power that great, took him centuries to master his own after all. But there she was, proving she was more than capable. He could see in her eyes how amused she was, her almost constant smirk and casual grins were a sign of that too. He knew she wasn't really a violent creature unless necessary and it pleased him immensely that she found joy in combat like this.

She was proving to be the perfect mate by the day, which made him relieved since he was pretty much powerless against her since the clearing, even though he'd argue it was because she saved Rin. But his beast knew better, they had belonged to her the moment they tasted her. From then on, it was only a matter of convincing his human-hating logical side, and that took only a day or two beside her on the pretext of helping her. And much to his beast dread and relief, Rin was attacked and saved by the Miko, and now they were bound to her instead of her to them. His logical side gave in and there they were, relishing on the fact that their chosen mate was strong, motherly, protective and above all that, fun. He hadn't felt so amused in quite a while, he actually had to hold in a laugh when she muzzled the red wolf. He spoke up for the battle to begin and kept his eyes glued to his little miko.

Kagome barely heard Sesshomaru's signal and Takeshi was already on her, she was prepared though and defended the attack with ease. She quickly forced his sword up with a strength he wasn't expecting and it made him lose balance. That was all it took for a Reiki infused house round kick hit his side, sending him flying. She knew he was holding back, the asshole, Sesshomaru probably talked to him. Kagome let her Reiki flow freely through her body, strengthening her and enhancing her senses. She defended another blow from Takeshi and they began clashing swords. Those who could accompany it were mesmerized. It was almost a dance in some way, Kagome accompanied all of Takeshi's offensives with ease, blocking some and parring others. She had yet to attack him on her own accord, the kick was the only offensive she's shown up until now.

Takeshi began growing frustrated, letting himself attack on with more power, more will. Kagome became bored after the first two minutes since he wasn't letting his full force out and that made her hold back, seeing that she didn't want to end the duel so quickly. She set motion to defend as he swung his sword down with force, but at the last second, she dodged his attack, making him slit through the air and carve his sword violently on the ground. She kicked his hands off the hilt, stunning him for a moment. Taking advantage of that she spun, her leg outstretched to sweep the Inu off his feet. Before the general could even register his back hitting the ground, she had grabbed his foot and began spinning, using the momentum to slam the general against a wall with force.

"Come on! Didn't I need to train with pups to build up strength?" She asked loudly, trying to provoke the Inu. He got up, internally wincing at his dislocated shoulder and broken ribs. That human was getting on his nerves, she was humiliating him in front of his Lord and that wouldn't do. He put his shoulder back in place with a loud snap and moved it to confirm it was correctly placed. Once that was done, he stopped holding back and advanced towards her. In a flash, he retrieved his sword and reached her but she was no longer there. He heard a low 'finally' being said behind him and turned to attack her. Those who could barely accompany before, no longer could.

Sesshomaru had his eyes wide. Kagome didn't get hit once by Takeshi, and he was his strongest warrior. Did she even need any training? Could she actually be as strong as himself? Who the hell trained her for her to become this strong?! How she fought Takeshi is how Sesshomaru trained him, at least the sword techniques. The only two offensive moves she made were bare movements such as kicks or how she threw him against the wall, and those alone took a toll on the general. Sesshomaru then realized she could've defended herself when he strangled her. Why didn't she? He'd have to ask her later.

He watched her movements, reading her power flow throughout the battle. Even though her reiki flowed freely in her, she was able to manage it to be used only when and where she needed it. Her control over her Reiki was impeccable, probably caused by her constant attempts to gain control over her aura. She wasted no energy in unnecessary movements, she read her opponent almost with perfection as she danced and defended herself. It was mesmerizing to watch and very, very arousing. Since the fight with Aihara, the smell of the males was almost unbearable. They were hard for his little Miko, making his beast growl in discontentment. His attention snapped from his thoughts when Kagome started picking up the pace. Takeshi was beginning to have a hard time accompanying her as she began attacking, and Sesshomaru knew Kagome was aiming to end the battle.

Kagome had Reiki to spend, but she was still a human and was fighting like this for ten minutes now. She wouldn't be able to move properly the next day because her muscles would be too strained, and she knew that. So she began to speed up, making Takeshi follow suit. He had hit her here and there, but with Reiki flowing inside of her like this, the small cuts were almost instantly healed. She managed to disarm him and he quickly jumped back, sending a concentrated ball of youki towards her. She deflected it up with his own sword, and advanced, wielding her katana on the other hand. He kept sending her one burst after the other while keeping his distance. She deflected a couple more before narrowing her purple eyes at him, this bullshit was annoying her. At the first chance, she carved both swords on the ground and as a burst of youki was approached her, she moved her hand towards it and the yellow energy was surrounded by pink light and she threw it back at him, repeating motion with the other two he had sent her way. He dodged the now reiki bursts, but doing so gave her an opening and her pink whip wrapped his foot and pulled him violently towards her.

He grinned at her and released his youki completely, his eyes went red and he transformed into a great cream coloured Inu, much bigger than Aihara but still smaller than Sesshomaru. He used his momentum and sped up towards her, his claws ready for the claiming. She jumped back to dodge, and once his giant paw hit the ground, she sprinted up his shoulder.

The Inu thrashed violently trying to get her off of him, roaring loudly until a pink lace was thrown above his head and quickly pulled back towards him, lodging itself between his massive jaws. Takeshi was in shock, she was _riding_ him, reigns and all. The _audacity_ of this woman _._

Kagome had bound her feet on his back, the binds painfully puncturing the flesh to keep her in place as she pulled on her new reigns, swaying and moving to dodge the eventual tail that swung towards her. Takeshi roared and thrashed against his restraints for a bit until he decided to squish her by rolling on his back. Kagome grinned when she felt the movement she wanted from the demon and let her reigns go, running around the Inu's torso as he so gladly offered his unprotected belly to her, like a good puppy. She jumped up and sent four chains that surrounded the Inu's paws and brought them together. Takeshi struggled and tried turning to stand up, but his paws being bound, he couldn't do anything but lay on his side. Kagome was against the giant Inu's throat in a second.

"Submit." She said to the dog, this time pressing the katana against Takeshi's skin, burning it, to show she was serious. If the Inu thrashed or moved, she'd purify him. Takeshi eyed her for a moment.

"I submit." He growled low to her and she freed him, offering him a hand once he transformed back. He took it, his respect for this human had grown tremendously, and he knew the only person who'd be able to train her further on her abilities was the western Lord himself. Or perhaps his mother.

"Good fight." She said, her grin going from ear to ear. She was feeling ecstatic, sum that to the fact she was feeling good before the duels, it was almost heaven. They turned to look at Sesshomaru, who had stood and begun announcing the winner of both duels. He could barely contain a smirk that wanted constantly to make his way onto his lips. His little minx was going to be rewarded accordingly.


	12. Pleasing rewards

**Lemons are _so hard_ to write! Holy shit it took me forever!**

 **So yeah, let me know what you think.**

 **It's my first time writing things like these so I hope I did a good job.**

* * *

Takeshi and Kagome bowed to each other and went on opposite directions, Kagome sheathing her katana while looking at the crowd, there were a lot of gaping mouths and wide eyes. She was still panting and the adrenaline was just now beginning to fade, and as it did, exhaustion began to creep over her muscles. She left the arena and heard a lot of movement behind her, people were going back to their business. She walked quietly, but with haste. She knew Sesshomaru would follow her and although he had other intentions, which Kagome wasn't sure she'd be able to keep up with, she needed him with her. Takeshi took as much energy from her as she expected. A lot.

She arrived at his room and entered, leaving the door open behind her and heading straight to the springs. She felt filthy from all the sweat and dirt. She entered the springs and turned around to see Sesshomaru closing the panel behind him and closing in on her. She smirked when he grabbed her hair and brought her to his lips, pulling her body to him with his other arm. She felt his pulsating erection against her belly and moaned, feeling empowered at the thought of making such a strong demon feel so much desire for her. She pulled back to breathe but he followed, trailing hungry kisses and nips towards her exposed neck.

"Hmm, Sesshomaru~" She hummed and felt him smirk against her skin.

"Yes, love?" Kagome felt her whole body heat up at the endearment term. This demon was going to be the death of her.

"You have no idea what you do to me." She said breathlessly. He leaned back to look at her, bringing his hand from her hair to her cheek.

"This one could say the same." He told her, loving the blush tainting her cheeks. She smiled for a second before her legs gave out suddenly. Sesshomaru held her and picked her up bridal style.

"Does my presence make your knees weak, miko?" He asked with a playful smirk and she swatted his shoulder, laughing.

"I might've overdone it." She admitted while looking at her exhausted legs, making him chuckle. "What's funny?" She looked up, a mock-angry expression on her face. He nuzzled her hair, taking in her scent before speaking.

"This Sesshomaru will have to work on your endurance." She turned her head to look at him, eyes wide and sparkling.

"You'll train me?" He smirked.

"Hn." She let out a muffled squeal, trying to refrain from hurting his sensitive ears, and hugged his neck, delivering kisses all over the right side of his face. She couldn't help herself, Sesshomaru was going to train her!

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said amidst her kisses. He couldn't hold his smile.

 **And you wanted to leave her for the monk.**

 _Shut it._

His beast snickered in the back of his mind, satisfied. Their little miko was something out of this world, and by the looks of it, they were already earning her heart. Kagome stopped her attack to look at him. She loved how he dropped his mask almost completely when around her, his smile was gorgeous and she couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction. When she inhaled again, however, she could smell her own sweat, making her frown.

"I could really use a bath right now." She told him and he walked towards the springs to put her down gently, making sure she was steady before letting go. Kagome infused her legs with her remaining Reiki to sustain herself without her legs wobbling or giving up on her again. Sesshomaru began to strip her from behind, his silver locks sliding from his shoulders and swaying in front of her as he bent over her to reach for her sash.

"Don't rip anything!" She warned him while blushing furiously, making him smirk. His face was so close to hers he could actually feel the heat emanating from her cheeks. Sesshomaru untied her sash while Kagome untied the armour pads. He began removing the upper part of her suit, and not long after, she had only those tempting undergarments on her. She watched over her shoulder as he gave some space between them to hungrily take in the view, making her feel self-conscious suddenly.

Sesshomaru held his mouth shut consciously. The light made her humid skin shimmer lightly as if someone showered her with the tiniest of diamonds, her posture was elegant and at the same time shy as she hugged herself. Her sapphires watched him intently, her braid uncoiled as he let it loose from its pinned prison. The black laced lingerie, much like her hair, contrasted starkly against her delicate porcelain skin, her cheeks and shoulders tinted scarlet as she blushed deeper with his stare. And her curves, Kami, they were just perfect! Her strong and slender legs curved elegantly as they reached her waist, her plentiful ass tempting him, the lace lusciously shielding her intimate flesh from his hungry eyes. Her back was adorned with lightly toned muscles but left the softness of her skin and delicacy of her feminine features crystal clear. His eyes reached her shoulders, taking in her beautiful neck, and finally her face. Her delicate profile showing her cute pointed nose, those big oceanic blue eyes staring into his, her plump lips being harassed by her teeth as she bit her bottom lip. Sesshomaru moistened his lips at that sight.

Kagome felt many things at once watching the Lord staring at her: embarrassed, nervous, sexy, empowered and last but not least, aroused. She could actually feel the moisture seeping into the black fabric between her legs. She watched, even if it was only for a second, his eyes bleeding dangerously red at the sight of her. He snapped out of it when he noticed she was trembling ever so slightly, and so he returned to the task at hand. He fiddled with her bra for a good minute before she chuckled.

"What?" He growled to her impatiently, still trying to unhook the damned thing. His claws itching to just rip the damn thing apart.

"It's just the sight of the killing perfection struggling with a bra. Makes me wonder if I've seen everything there is to see." Kagome teased and he scowled at her. She chuckled again and bent her arms behind her, looking towards the springs. To be fair with him, it was one of those bras that were a bitch to unhook. "Here, you have to pull the edges like this." Her fingers skillfully wrapped on the straps and with a few precise pulls, she unhooked the contraption apart, loosening the undergarment while her hands held it against her chest out of instinct.

Kagome didn't turn, her heart was racing like mad, her self-consciousness rising through the roof. Sesshomaru noticed it and embraced her from behind, nuzzling her neck and taking the chance to gaze closely upon her beautiful mounds, which she hid away from his prying eyes. His mouth watered and he had to swallow not to drool. Her blush increased tenfold when she noticed he was only in his hakama. _When the fuck did he strip?! S_ he was itching to turn and look but settled on stroking the stripes on his strong biceps.

"Remember the springs, the day I beat the half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked her, a slight smirk surging on his face when she huffed.

"Of course I do. And since you reminded me, don't go around using me as an excuse to hurt people!" She scolded and felt a rough nip on her neck. She held the moan that came with it to make her point, though she could do nothing about the heat intensifying between her legs.

"No one hurts you and goes unpunished." He said in a dark tone, lapping at the tiny droplets of blood from his bite, healing it.

"What's your punishment then?" She asked him, amused.

"Constant, unceasing interruptions." He said sourly, making her giggle.

"So, what about the springs?" She asked, after calming her laughs, as her fingers stroked a few silver locks.

"When I saw you there, I thought you the most beautiful creature I have laid eyes upon." He told her, sliding his hands down her curves and back up again, bringing them up her breasts, under her bra, where he began massaging delicately, making Kagome grow breathless. "So, please, do not hide from me, Kagome." He hoarsely whispered in her ear.

"Y-You were watching?" She asked, feeling her heart wanting to explode out of her chest. She thought he just appeared out of nowhere as he did before. _Fuck, did he watch me back then too?!_ She went through her memory to think of anything she could've done to make a fool out of herself. He interrupted her thoughts, however.

"You let your guard down so easily, someone has to keep an eye on you." Kagome melted into his embrace. Sesshomaru slowly pulled the bra from her, her arms moving to let the straps slide away, and let it fall to the ground. His eyes took in the now unobstructed view of her breasts, memorizing every detail of it, as he slid his thumbs under her panties to pull them down. The smell of her arousal intensified and he closed his eyes while inhaling deeply. Kagome was panting, trying to keep herself standing.

Sesshomaru let her panties slide down her knees, and traced her inner thighs with his fingers all the way to his prize, all the while kissing the range from her neck to her collarbone, sucking a bit harder to leave marks under her skin. He brushed past her folds with one hand, and the other he let linger, delicately exploring her most intimate area until he found what he was looking for. Kagome was already moaning lightly and when his finger reached her pearl, she mewled loudly and grabbed his biceps for support. He began rubbing her little button with sweet and slow motions while the other hand made its way back to her breast and began teasing her hardened nipple.

Kagome felt the delicious pressure between her thighs build up but it was too much for her legs. She held tighter as her legs gave in and Sesshomaru stopped his ministrations to sweep her off of her feet. He then proceeded to enter the springs, hakama still on, and support his intended on his thigh when they were chest deep into the warm water.

Kagome hummed as he kissed her and slid a hand down to her folds once again. He teased her bundle of nerves with a smooth touch that began to slowly increase in intensity, making her moan louder and louder against his lips. He continued on and felt her hand fist his hair while she tilted her hips towards his hand. After biting his claws off, earning a whimper from the momentary loss of touch, he slid a finger inside her deliciously warm cavern. She tilted her head up with a sweet mewl while leaning back to give him more access, his other hand on her back holding her.

Sesshomaru greedily traced a path of open mouth kisses from her neck all the way to her nipple, sucking and nibbling on it as he intensified his ministrations, feeling her tremble in his grasp. Sesshomaru relished every reaction, every pleasured noise that left her, every shiver of her body against his. She'd be his, no one else would touch her like this, no one else would feel her silky skin so intimately. Of that, he would make sure.

"Sesshomaru, _please_! I-I'm almost-" She began begging but didn't get to finish. He entered another finger into her while he sank his teeth on her neck, on the same spot he had marked before, letting his youki flow. That shoved her over the edge and she exploded into pleasure, screaming his name. She clenched her thighs tightly against his arm, shivering as he continued to move despite her restriction on him. He felt something tickle his cheek and opened his eyes.

Sesshomaru saw tiny specs of Reiki leaving her pale skin while she drowned in pleasure and he just had to lean back to look. It was mesmerizing, she held her head to face the ceiling as her raven locks spread behind her, the reminiscent twists of her now loose braid unravelling into the water. There were tiny specks of pink light swirling around her, encasing her body in a light mist of pink light. He noticed a few green ones as well and his eyes widened, realizing it was his youki.

As she relaxed and tilted her head back to face him, he pulled her closer to kiss her tenderly. He separated and pulled her towards his chest. She leaned closer and nuzzled the crook of his neck, shifting and wrapping her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him. Kagome was so dazed and tired she didn't notice the erratic breathing of the demon. What she did feel was his hakama, making her frown.

"This is so not _fair._ " She complained to him in a groan.

"What injustice bothers you, my love?" He asked, the baritone voice faltering ever so slightly, but that went unnoticed as she melted with that enchanting little word. It felt strange and delightful coming from him.

"You, still half-dressed." She explained, sighing in frustration while picking on the rim of his pants. She felt him move.

"If I undress I will claim you right here." He explained in a serious tone to her while grabbing the soap she left by the edge of the springs the night before. He sat her by a rock, waist deep into the water, and began washing her standing on his knees in front of her, the water also reaching his waist. Kagome noticed his golden eyes were veiled with restraint.

"So?" She asked him, her brows furrowing. He didn't answer but his eyes flashed red for a moment there. "Sesshomaru, I'm no longer a teenager."

"That is not the issue." His voice was deep and sombre.

"Then what is?" She wanted...no, she needed to know. She could see he was still painfully hard, what was wrong with having sex? He had stopped cleaning her and created some space between their bodies. When he didn't respond, she began feeling uneasy and moved to get close to him, he stiffened when she hesitantly reached her hand to his face. He shut his eyes tightly.

"Kagome." He warned her as she caressed his stripes that were beginning to turn jagged.

"Do you regret it?" She asked him, her insecurities blinding her fully. That seemed to grab his attention as he looked at her, restraint being replaced by confusion as his features returned to normal.

"Regret what?"

"All of... this. Me." Kagome said feeling her eyes begin to water. _No._ She immediately swallowed and ordered them back. There was no need to cry. He got closer to her and brushed a few rogue strands away from her face, his brows furrowed in thought for a moment, and then it clicked. Kagome was rejected by Inuyasha, she paid the ultimate price, leaving her family behind to be with him, only to find him taken away from her. That took a toll on the girl. She was seeing this as a rejection. He pulled her in for a kiss before he cupped her face with his clawed hands.

"I regret nothing that concerns you and me. The only regrets I have are from the times I tried to take your life." Her features softened a bit, but her brows furrowed back in a blink.

"Then why not...?" She trailed off, not wanting to say he didn't want to have sex with her. He seemed to pick up on it.

"Trust me, this Sesshomaru is _very_ tempted into burying himself in your person." Kagome blushed furiously at that statement. His predatory eyes weren't helping either. "But I have little to no control over my actions when around you. I would probably mate you without your consent." He stated to her, and she cocked her head. _He loses control around me huh... that's interesting._

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he watched the glimpse of a wicked grin come over Kagome's features, just to quickly be replaced by an innocent smile. She touched his hands on her cheeks and slid her own up his arms, feeling every muscle underneath the smooth skin while she approached him. He let his hands slide down her sides while paying close attention as hers roamed towards his chest, tracing his marking all the way down to his hakama. That's where he stopped her by squeezing her hips and pushing her slightly away.

"What-" She pressed a finger against his lips, like he did to her the other day, and looked at him.

"Trust me." He was going to argue but she shot her eyebrows up, her eyes daring him to utter another word. As the wise demon he was, Sesshomaru closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and mentally counted to ten while asking Kami for the strength to resist jumping onto her and rutting his balls off. Not that that was the problem, far from it. The real problem was the fully youki infused bite that came with him taking her innocence away. Just the thought made his fangs ache. Kagome gave him a side smirk when he opened his eyes and nodded to her.

She remade her way to the rim of his hakama to loosen it and began pushing it down. She was already blushing at the sight of the silver hair the hakama revealed, but nonetheless, she kept going. Thankfully he had already loosened the ankle binds and the fabric was removed easily. Oh, he was magnificent. Michelangelo would _kill_ to get this male as a model. The times she felt his erection against her made him no justice and she worried for a moment there if he would even fit into her. She smiled to herself as she observed the stripes rounded from the sides back to his abdomen, pointing towards his hardened member. It was a very sexy path of happiness. She looked up to see him watching her curiously, wondering what the heck she wanted to do that wouldn't result in a mating.

Kagome then stood on her tip-toes and kissed him. It was slow and sensual, their tongues danced with each other in perfect synchrony. Kagome began to let her hands explore him, his strong arms and chest, his toned abdomen and narrow waist. She chuckled at his slight jump when she squeezed his toned ass and then finally she reached her treasure. Sesshomaru felt her hand grabbing it and he let out a prolonged groan at the sensation of her small and soft hand against his member. She began moving her hand up and down his length, making him shudder against her. He pulled back from the kiss to look at her. She had a devious smile on her swollen lips and her blue eyes were filled with lust and mischief. She began stroking him faster and he let out another needy growl.

Kagome gave him one more kiss on the lips before trailing down to his neck and then to his torso. She was loving his reaction as she got closer and closer. He would groan when she slowed down and became more and more breathless as she made her way to his shaft. Once at the base she looked up, he was intently looking at her.

She beat around the bush a bit, literally, always so close but never there, until he was basically trembling and his claws dug into his palm. That's when she looked at his cock with hunger adorning her features, there was a little bit of precum at the tip and she greedily licked it, making his breath hitch. She started sucking on it lightly earning a deep growl from him. Her eyes never left his as she began to build up speed and intensity, letting him in the most she could while her hands stroked what her mouth couldn't.

"K-Kagome." He stuttered her name and she hummed against him in satisfaction, making him groan and thrust his hips at the sensation. She slid one of her hands to his torso, feeling his tensed muscles and then went to his hand, which she took and guided it to the back of her head. He looked at her and she looked back, a playful dare playing in her eyes. He grabbed her hair and began to thrust against her. The feeling of her throat was amazing, her teeth lightly scraped him sending chills through his spine. He could feel he was almost there and then she carved her nails on his thighs and he lost it, howling his release while holding her down. She swallowed every drop of cum from him, barely able to keep up, and felt pride swelling inside of her. She made Sesshomaru howl with pleasure from a blowjob.

He let go of her head and she stood up, a cocky smirk on her face while she licked her lips. _This woman is a goddamn menace_. He thought to himself, smirking at the familiar feeling. He observed for a moment her beautiful body, knee deep in the water. When their eyes met, he grabbed her by the waist and threw himself into the hot spring. They resurfaced after a moment, Kagome's giggling quickly turning into a hum as he kissed her. They separated to breathe and Kagome let out a satisfied sigh. Her eyes were dazed and half-lidded and Sesshomaru chuckled. His beautiful intended was obviously exhausted, but at least now she'd sleep satisfied.

He put her back on a rock, belly deep in the water this time, and she watched as Sesshomaru brought the soaps and sat behind her. His hands began to caress her long hair to spread the soap throughout her raven locks. She closed her eyes and entered a plain of complete bliss as he massaged and washed her head, his claws lightly scraping on her scalp, sending delicious chills down her body. After a few minutes, he asked her to dunk and she obliged, submerging to get rid of the soap on her hair. When she resurfaced she turned to him and got closer. Standing on her knees on the rock, while he still sat, she enlaced his neck with her arms and kissed him sweetly. When she pulled back, she looked into his golden eyes, then to his silver hair. She caressed it and brought a wet lock of the silky strands forward.

"Can I wash it?" She asked, her eyes held almost adoration as she stroked the threads. He smirked and nodded when she looked back at him. Usually, this was done by mated couples, as for Inu youkai it was quite an intimate ritual. He couldn't care less though, everything was different with his little miko. They changed places and Kagome began spreading soap on his silvery hair. She was entranced by the texture and beauty of it. She heard a deep resonating growl when she began massaging his scalp. Perhaps it was bliss for him too. She worked slowly and asked him to dunk once finished.

Bathed and dried, they returned to his room. Kagome made a few Reiki figures come and go to spend the last of her energy and fell unconscious on his futon. Sesshomaru wondered why she didn't do this to sleep... but it must be a pain in the ass to drain yourself to the point of exhaustion every day. It was also dangerous as one wouldn't wake up that easily.

He looked at the tangled mess that was her hair and chuckled. He gathered her locks and grabbed a comb to untangle it, braiding it after that was done. He knew how she tossed and turned when she slept, making her hair go all over the place, that first night was the first indication of why she always left it braided. He covered her with the furs and left the bed, her aura nowhere to be felt. He'd keep a fraction of his own aura close by in case hers spreads, the last thing he needed was his whole palace either in a frenzied panic or rutting each other. He smiled at the thought, his little miko was quite the troublemaker.


	13. To face one's past

The grey-haired Inu sighed for the hundredth time in the last hour. He was trying to meditate in his room, but a certain old hag would simply not let him. His peace, as well as the peace of the other residents of the temple, became non-existent the moment that stubborn girl left. The hag would start her day with frantic orders, inspecting every task and asking for it to be remade until she deemed the result perfect. When that was done, she'd wander the halls like some undead grandma, searching for her long-lost grandchild. And when that did not entertain her anymore, she'd come and pester him until he wished he was dead.

"I-sa-mu!" She whined for his attention again, this time sprawled on the floor beside him, a jewelled foot nudging his thigh with every syllable. Sometimes he wondered if she was ten years old instead of ten _thousand_.

"She is _fine_ , Hikari." He repeated himself in a growl.

"But Sesshomaru, Isamu! _Sesshomaru!_ Gods! Couldn't they find anyone _colder_ for her?" The demoness asked sarcastically to the ceiling. "And another damned Inu at that! Didn't she suffer enough at the claws of that uncivilized pup?!" She bellowed in frustration, motioning her arms up as if demanding an explanation from the heavens. He sighed at the prospect of repeating their daily discussion for the third time _today_.

"The Gods make no mistakes, Hikari. It is wise not to question." He answered her, ignoring another offence against his species. At that Hikari sat upright, snorting.

" _Suuuuure_ they don't! Just look at that _pregnant marionette_ walking about in Edo! I'm sure _that_ was totally planned! ' _You are not to interfere, Hikari.'_ " She mocked the God that gave her that order with a high pitched voice while standing and storming towards the balcony to sit, calling for one of her errand boys to bring her some sake. Isamu just wanted to slap the back of her head. Why the Gods chose her to guide Kagome back onto fate's tracks was beyond his current mental capabilities.

The former general sighed and decided to join her. He could use some alcohol after three hours of this constant whining. They sat in silence for a moment, looking towards the falls they made Kagome bathe in every once in a while, saying they wanted her to create resistance. Although in reality, they were just betting on how long it took her to run from the cold. Isamu won a few bottles of sake with those bets. Hikari's errand boy arrived with the beverage, blushing furiously at the sight of the demoness before she dismissed him. Hikari served Isamu's cup and handed it to him, then repeated the action for herself.

If one was to look at Hikari, they would give her twenty human years max. She was slender and elegant, her white horns protruding from her hairline bent back and then upwards. Rings at the tips with golden chains, which loops rested upon her white voluminous hair that shone with peach coloured highlights against the sun. Her pink eyes were sharp, wise and gorgeous.

And then there was her outfit, a tight and long red satin dress with slits that started on either side of her hips to allow her legs movement and show a good portion of her porcelain skin. She had a fluffy scarf upon her shoulders and walked barefooted, bracelets adorning her thin ankles and a delicate ring on the middle toe of each foot. She looked like a goddess, and there was a reason for that, but the beauty stopped there. Her looks contrasted greatly with her personality, but alas, you can't have everything.

They drank in silence for at least one hour, and now it was Hikari who was sighing. She longed to see the miko again, she was the first human to ever surprise her, her kindness and strength were unparalleled, it made her grow attached to the petite girl quite fast. If only she could just barge in that uptight palace without the need to kill everyone… _Oh? Maybe I can._

Isamu watched, his sharp golden eyes narrowing, as Hikari lowered her cup slowly, realisation dawning onto her features as she looked at him with a smile on her plentiful ruby lips, pink eyes sparkling. This was not going to be good.

"Isamu~" She sang and he immediately turned to look at the falls again. Nope. He knew that tone all too well. She was planning something, and he wasn't going to like it.

"I want to visit my daughter!" She chirped at him, making him look at her again with a brow cocked in surprise.

"And it has nothing to do with Kagome?" He asked her, a voice in the back of his mind telling him to not trust the demoness.

"Of course not! We can't _possibly_ interfere in her relationship with the Ice Pup, but it's been almost a full millennium since I saw my baby girl." She sighed theatrically, the back of her hand against her hairline at the base of a horn, as she looked up with mock-sadness in her eyes. Isamu sighed, pondering to himself if he should play along with her charade. It's been three months since Kagome left, and two days ago they were informed that the Western Lord had a human intended in his palace. A Miko no less.

Being the scandalous demoness Hikari was, she created an uproar immediately, wanting to retrieve the miko. Naturally, he stopped her. She was far too overprotective of the girl for his tastes, and Isamu knew it wasn't necessary. But he too felt a pang in his chest at the news that she was involved with Toga's elder son. He never again wanted to see the miko in the state she first arrived at the temple and he didn't know if Sesshomaru would treat her any better than Inuyasha. He was the Ice Prince after all.

Kagome had arrived broken, almost in a catatonic state. Still, she implored the monks and mikos from the temple to train her, claiming she needed to become strong to care for her son and stop 'being a burden'. Isamu, having lived in the temple for a few centuries now in order to stay away from prying eyes, wasn't keen to her intruding presence. And so he kept to himself, staying as far away from her as possible. Only she didn't really care for his attitude, she was more than eager to know the only demon that lived in the temple and find out why was he isolating himself from the youkai society.

For two months she followed him around on her free time, trying to develop a friendship with the Inu. And then, one night, they ended up chatting and he made the mistake of telling her he used to be a general. When those huge blue orbs sparkled with pure unfiltered interest, he knew he screwed up. From then on, there were another ten months of incessant stalking and pleading for him to train her. Fiery little brat she was, persistent too.

So he ended up begrudgingly obliging and was surprised to see what a quick study she was. She already knew combat basics and her physique wasn't bad either. Most mikos didn't have much strength, they relied solely on their Reiki and long-range weapons or spells, so Isamu was more than pleased when she was able to keep up with the first few phases of his training. That's when the old hag appeared.

Three months into training and out of fucking nowhere, she jumped in the middle of a training session pointing a finger at Isamu's face, asking him who the hell he thought he was to be attacking the Shikon no Miko. Kagome made a quick job of calming the demoness and in a blink, she was all over the little miko, being charmed by her kind and calm demeanour. When they questioned who Hikari was and where she came from, she just brushed the questions away saying she was there with the sole purpose of helping Kagome. The little Miko made him drop the subject and from then on shit got real, as Kagome would say.

In three mear months, Hikari taught Kagome how to fully access her center and power. Her strength could be now compared to that of a daiyoukai if she followed suit with proper training. Never had Isamo seen so much power in a human. And so, Kagome's remaining tasks were to learn how to fully control and manipulate her Reiki in battle, which the monks and mikos were helping with, and continue on her training with Isamu. Everything was going smoothly... That is until Kagome found the fissures, about a year later. She came running in a panic to Hikari telling her about them and the demoness immediately went on an intensive quest to help Kagome unravel the mystery of these fissures. Only they didn't really find out what they were, just how to fix them.

If Isamu thought Kagome had arrived in a bad emotional state, after she broke that damned fissure and her aura began misbehaving, he then thought she had broken beyond repair. It had begun out of nowhere, people having nightmares or sad dreams, waking up only to find out they remained either terrorized or depressed. It went on for a few short days, every other night it was chaos and it was affecting everyone. Even Isamu himself was having trouble sleeping but the sensations remained, which puzzled him greatly. The feelings would change once Kagome woke up, but sleeping in a different area, they didn't know that was the case. That's when the Inu noticed everyone acting calm during the day, even Hikari. The old hag's strange calm was what tipped Isamu off. Everyone knew Kagome had night terrors that made her either wake up sobbing or screaming and with people becoming calm as she was during the day, it was clear that Kagome wasn't being affected, she was the one affecting everyone.

The former general decided to tell her that the other day since it was almost midnight when he came to that conclusion. And for his dismay, Kagome had one of her worst night terrors yet. It took everything he got to reach her and wake her up without transforming and destroying the whole place out of terror. When she did wake up, the fear faded into relief and then surprise. Hikari came barging in not too long after, and he explained to the females his theory. Isamu watched Kagome break further and further as he explained. She was the cause of the last few days horror, sleepless nights and sadness. She was spreading her sick feelings to everyone

Kagome ran and Hikari followed. They remained a full weak away from the temple, up in the mountains, and unfortunately, Isamu was proven right. When they came back, Kagome and Hikari looked like hell. Grey circles under their eyes, bruises here and there, their skin a shade paler. But no sign of Kagome's obvious depression in anyone but her. She had learned to control it. Hikari explained to Isamu and the temple residents the need to create a shack far away from the temple because Kagome couldn't control her aura when asleep. They understood and immediately began gathering the materials. It took almost a month since the temple was so far up the mountains and her little shack was even farther up. Kagome camped throughout the autumn chill until her shelter was ready.

From then on, the miko focused twice as much on her training. She perfected her control over her Reiki, no longer needing sutras for anything, and Isamu noticed with concealed awe that her power had _grown_. It didn't change her aura, however. She released another two fissures and although there were no real changes in her power, she became considerably more depressed. She never gave up though, instead, she worked through it with determination. By the sixth year, she had matched Isamu's abilities in combat and mastered her Reiki almost fully. She stood close another year to try and release the remaining two fissures but to no avail. When she finally left, Hikari became this mess and never left to return to wherever the hell she came from, much to Isamu's dismay. He finally questioned again why she appeared and she explained to Isamu what Kagome truly was, and how she had to go after that information herself.

Although Hikari knew what the little miko was, she didn't know her power was so great to bend emotions like that. The last Child of Time did something similar but it didn't affect everyone. It was meant to affect only her much-needed mate, and it did its job perfectly. Hikari knew something was wrong with Kagome's powers, she just had no idea why that was.

Isamu looked at Hikari again, watching as the white-haired beauty stood up and began pulling on his arm for him to get up and pack. He sighed, finished his drink in one gulp and stood to oblige. They were at the temple's door, ready to fly to wherever Hikari's daughter was when she froze. She looked at Isamu with a blood-chilling maniacal grin on her face.

"We won't need to travel _at all_." She said and dragged the confused Inu back into the temple.

* * *

Yukimi dragged the door-sized framed mirror and leaned it against a rocky wall on her library. She was about to open a slit on her palm when she heard Sesshomaru's howl. She grinned, her Lord was having some fun with his little intended. Why wouldn't he? That miko left her own panties moist with that demonstration of power. Yukimi could already feel the waves of jealousy coming from the other females. She scoffed. As if they ever had any chance with a demon his calibre.

"Well, now that I can hear my own thoughts again, shall we?" She asked her reflexion, which in turn just stared back at her. A giggle tinkled throughout the cavern as she returned to her task. Using the ancient dagger passed down to her by her father, Yukimi pressed the point against the palm of her right hand, opening a cut and cupping the hand so the blood wouldn't spill. Once it was almost flooding, she showered the glass of the mirror, tainting it with red stripes. She proceeded to smudge the corners of the frame, renewing the blood against the carved wood. Yukimi cleaned her hand to see the cut was gone and returned to her books. The portal would work around dinner time, so there was no need to loom over it.

The hours slugged away and Yukimi found herself impatiently glancing at the mirror now that twilight was upon her and she knew that, any minute now, that fool would barge in and make a scene. Gods, she hated that woman. It was much to her discomfort that she had precious knowledge within that nonsensical mind of hers. She felt the surge of power and stood up, walking towards the mirror, ready to fight her mother's unwanted embrace.

* * *

Isamu watched with growing anxiety as Hikari hummed her way to the back of the temple. That grin of hers meant trouble… no, this whole woman meant trouble! She walked to the backside of the temple towards a natural stone wall, and there she stopped for a bit, searching for something on the rocks. She giggled when she found it and dragged Isamu towards a relatively straighter surface. She dropped her pack and searched for something inside of it, her grin back in place once she found what she was looking for. The Inu watched in complete silence as the demoness pulled a dagger out of her pack and proceeded to slit her palm, letting the blood pool in it. She then walked towards the straight surface and let some blood drip from above, creating blood stripes on the rock. He cocked his head as she happily smudged four different places, two high up, beside where she let her blood leak down, and two at the bottom. She turned to him.

"Come on, Isamu! I know you'll just _love_ Yukimi!" She smiled at him and turned to walk straight through the stained wall. Isamu blinked once, twice, three times. Did she just...? … … She did, her scent was no longer anywhere, just her blood. He took a few hesitant steps and tentatively tried touching the blood stains. His hand went through and he felt a tremendous amount of power flow through his body. _Interesting_.

"Might as well." He walked forward and the power flowed through him, his vision blurred, went black, and when it returned he had to hold a snort at the scene.

"Stop- trying to _harass_ me, you crazy old woman!" The black haired demoness, with black horns similar to Hikari's in shape, hissed at the woman trying to hug her form.

"Yukimi! How cruel! I haven't seen you in 987 years! Have you even missed me?!" She cried to her daughter, who was now using one leg and both arms to push her mother away.

"No! And you know damn well why! Now stop. Touching. Me." With each word, she shoved the slender woman farther away from her equally slender body. At some point, Hikari gave up and stood elegantly, flickering her white hair and straightening some rogue strands.

"Fine. You ungrateful little brat. Now state what you need from me so I can go exploring." Hikari said, crossing her arms. Yukimi was about to open her mouth when she noticed the Inu standing awkwardly next to the mirror. She stared at him intently, until something almost audibly clicked in her head.

"General Isamu? Best friend of the late Inu no Taisho?" She asked with intense pink eyes almost drilling through his very soul. The general looked from Hikari to Yukimi a few times before answering.

"In the flesh." Yukimi's eyes sparkled with dangerous interest, much like her mother's does when she's about to do something stupid.

"My, my. Aren't you brave for coming here." She told him with a sweet tinkling voice. Isamu turned to the white-haired beauty with narrowed eyes.

"Hikari, where the _fuck_ did you bring me?" He said in an angry tone, and Hikari giggled.

"I brought you to meet my daughter!" She responded sweetly.

"Hikari." He warned and Hikari giggled again.

"You are inside the western palace, General." Yukimi responded and watched with concealed amusement as the former general lost all colour from his face, turned to the mirror and walked face first into it, making a loud 'clang' resonate through the room. Hikari didn't hide her amusement, however. She laughed hysterically at the Inu now rubbing his nose, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm going to kill you!" He said with a nasal voice. Hikari took a minute or two to calm herself.

"Oh, spare me. Stick with mama Hikari here and that pup won't touch you." She said, cleaning her face from her joyful tears before turning to her little brat. "Yukimi, start talking." The demoness looked at her mother with contempt and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"The Miko. She spent seven years in the western temple, but for everywhere else only one year passed. Explain." She ordered and Hikari cocked her head, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Is that so? How curious." She half mocked, half said.

"So you don't know anything about it." Yukimi concluded, and Hikari nodded. With that Yukimi casually returned to her books, ignoring the two individuals in her library. Isamu was glaring daggers at Hikari. _The nerve of this woman!_ Said female noticed the intense stare and walked to him to pat his shoulder.

"Come on big boy, time to face your past." She smirked and walked up the stairs. All Isamu could do was follow.


	14. Unwanted company

Hikari finally reached the cavern entrance and found herself in an empty room, a panel separating her from the rest of the palace. She waited patiently as Isamu walked up the stairs to meet her, a smile from his little 'accident' still lingering on her ruby lips. Once he reached her, he turned her to him abruptly.

"Do _not_ open your damned mouth, woman! You are to keep quiet, lest you get us killed!" He warned her, anger mixed with dread could be seen in his features. He did not want to be here, he wasn't ready. Hikari simply rolled her pink eyes at him, making him scowl and, after a few seconds, sigh in defeat. He loosened his high ponytail, letting his long grey mane flow behind him so that he was less recognizable. Hikari eyed him curiously as he elegantly made his way to the panel, breathed deeply, and opened it. She giggled as he visibly relaxed when seeing there were no guards there. He glared at her and she waltzed to him and grinned.

"Isamu dearest, relax! Just enjoy the nostalgia trip while you show me the way. Hikari is here to protect you." She 'assured' him, gently patting his cheek.

"I swear that, if Kagome wasn't so fond of you, I _would_ kill you." He growled at her.

"Oh, I know." She said while her grin widened. He rolled his eyes mentally and began walking through the corridors. And they walked and walked and walked only to end up in front of the same room they left. Hikari reached him, looking around and spotting the cavern entrance. She raised a brow at him.

"You are lost, aren't you?" She asked him in an unimpressed tone. He turned to glare at her but she had already trotted away like he wasn't even there. Isamu growled low and followed. Hikari looked along the corridors, sensing around until she found what she wanted. Isamu was being too cowardly careful for her taste, not using his aura to find the way. Stupid Inu couldn't even mask the presence of his aura. They walked for a few minutes and Isamu turned a corner to follow Hikari when he stopped on his tracks, watching with concealed dread as she skipped towards two demons that were guarding a rather big door.

"Hello there." She greeted. The Inus eyed her from head to toe and Isamu smelled their arousals right away. He rolled his eyes, she was going to seduce her way out of this.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before." One of the Inus said while the other looked over to Isamu, who in return raised a brow.

"That would be because I've arrived today at Ses-" She cleared her throat. " _Lord_ Sesshomaru's request. I'm here to tend to the Shikon no Miko." She spoke sweetly, trying to maintain the sarcasm off of her voice. The guards shared a concerned look.

"She is currently indisposed, Lady..." He trailed off and she picked up the cue.

"Hikari." She smiled warmly, noticing the blush on the guards' faces. "And her being indisposed is exactly why I'm here, silly! Would you be a sweetheart and open the door for me?" She tilted her head while looking up at him. The guards looked at each other again before turning their gazes back to her.

"We cannot, Lady Hikari. We were given explicit orders from our Lord not to disturb his intended." Her smile turned into a dark grin.

"Oh, in that case…" She gently touched the guards' shoulders and they tilted their heads at her.

"Hikari-" Isamu began to advise against it but the guards had already gasped in pain and hit the floor, leaning against each other, unconscious.

"They look so adorable now! Less inconvenient too... For me at least" She said looking at Isamu over her shoulder. Her giggles tinkled in his ears while she opened to door to Sesshomaru's room.

* * *

Sesshomaru silently sighed. The afternoon had slugged in a terribly slow pace, he was buried in paperwork for the great part of it, but the pile to his left didn't seem to get any smaller. Battle strategies, demands for the apology, the setup for his upcoming challenge, Aihara's departure back to the East and letter to her father, along with report after report from his lands. His mind wandered once again to the raven-haired beauty currently unconscious on his futon. He was still in awe of what he saw Kagome doing. Especially her reiki version of his whip, that was really interesting to witness. He had a few questions he wanted to ask her, and the longer he waited, the longer the list of questions got. There was a knock on the door and he straightened himself, ordering to enter. Aihara barged in the study and Sesshomaru had to refrain from rolling his eyes. She stopped in front of him and stared, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Care to explain why are your servants preparing my belongings for a trip to the East?" She almost growled at him.

"This Sesshomaru was under the impression that you were the Eastern Lord's daughter." He maintained his brow raised, not acknowledging where Aihara really wanted to go with the conversation. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I was sent here as your _intended._ I've spent more than two springs here and even bedded you. And then you simply show up with a low human girl and claim she is your mate to be?! Aren't you _just_ like your father _._ " Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the red-haired wolf, stood up and walked over until he towered over her slim figure. And then, before she knew it, Aihara was gasping for air, her feet dangling above the ground. He carved his claws into her neck, drawing blood but refraining from poisoning her. He did _not_ want to deal with a vengeful wolf tribe.

"This Sesshomaru would _greatly_ advise you to tuck your sorry tail between your thighs and go home. Lest this One _personally_ takes care of you." Aihara's eyes widened at his words while she thrashed and clawed his hands and arms, trying to get free. His aura flashed with anger and his words could freeze Hell over. To her ultimate relief, there was another knock. Sesshomaru wouldn't stop his threatening just yet, but they knocked again, frantically this time. He dropped Aihara and ordered whoever to come in. A young servant, trembling from head to toe, rushed inside. Panic stamped clear in his features.

"My Lord!" The kitsune demon gave Sesshomaru the quickest deep bow he had ever seen before speaking so fast you almost couldn't understand him. "I believe there is someone in your chambers! The guards stationed by the door are nowhere to-" A gush of air told the young demon his Lord had already run past him, leaving only the servant and the wolf behind in his study.

* * *

Isamu flinched at the squeal Hikari let out when she saw Kagome. His poor sensitive ears would never be able to handle that demoness' excitement. He was placing the passed out guards against a corner while Hikari skipped her way towards the miko. She looked at the young woman in deep slumber, grinned and proceeded to throw herself on top of her, making her jerk awake with a gasp.

"Oh dear, sleeping nude on his bed already?" Hikari said as she sat lazily in the middle of the huge futon, giggling at the sight of Kagome's breasts being revealed from under the furs. Still exhausted from the afternoon activities, the sleepy Kagome looked at Hikari as if she was just a figment of her imagination.

"Hi...kari…?" Her voice was hoarse and she let a drawn-out yawn, her eyes watering with sleepness. Isamu cleared his throat, making Kagome look at him. He was looking towards his left to avoid roaming his eyes over Kagome's figure. The miko blinked three times, slowly, until they could practically hear a click coming from her.

"I-Isamu-san?!" She said and squeaked once she looked down, pulling the sheet under the furs up to her chest. "What are-" she began but was interrupted by Hikari, who brought the girl's face to her chest in a painfully tight hug.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet Kagome! I've missed you so much! I was so worried! You should know better than to let your dog fetishes get the best of you!" She greeted/scolded/embarrassed the miko currently suffocating between her plentiful breasts. Kagome began struggling for air, trying to shove her overly affectionate teacher away with only one hand as the other kept her breasts out of view.

"Let the girl breathe, Hikari." Isamu told the demoness who, with a pout, let the miko sit upright again and watched her gasp for air. Kagome couldn't be processing this right, it had to be a dream, an illusion. How the fuck did _Hikari_ find her way into _Sesshomaru's room?!_ Something in the corner of the room shook her away from her mental stun-lock.

"Um… Isamu-san?" She called, looking at the unconscious guards nervously. The Inu looked back at the guards and then motioned his head towards the living nightmare sitting beside her. She looked at Hikari, then back at him, cocking her head.

"I'm not here on my own volition, little one." He answered her unasked question and Kagome immediately understood. Hikari glared daggers at Isamu but soon found herself looking at the miko that was glaring daggers at _her._

"What? I wanted to see if the Ice Pup was treating you with enough warmth for my standards! And Isamu needed some fresh air." Hikari said while crossing her arms. Kagome's eyes widened in realisation.

"Please tell me Sesshomaru knows you guys are here." She pleaded already knowing the answer.

"Pfft! Of course not! It's not like he would let Isamu in, anyway." Hikari said in indignation. Kagome facepalmed, predicting the major headache her mentor's shenanigans would bring, before processing her answer.

"Wait, why wouldn't he?" Kagome asked looking at Isamu with furrowed brows, genuinely confused.

"Oho~? You haven't told her?" Hikari asked while trying to contain a maniacal grin and failing miserably. _This is going to be good!_ The demoness loved some drama. Isamu found one of the walls to his right so very interesting all of a sudden.

"Told me wha-" Kagome was interrupted by the bedroom door slamming open and a very irate Sesshomaru barging in. Before he could do anything, however, the scene rendered him stunned. He blinked at the sight of Hikari burying Kagome on her chest again, muffling the girl's attempts to talk, while in the middle of _his_ futon _._

"My my, speak of the devil and he shall appear!" Hikari giggled to the Inu, who didn't seem to notice Isamu paralyzed close to his unconscious soldiers. He took two steps ahead but stopped when the horned demoness let the tiniest hint of power out for him, and him only, to read. Her grin widened at his reaction until it vanished completely with Kagome pinching her nose and pulling, making her whine in pain and release the miko from her carnal prison. Kagome gasped for air again before speaking.

"Ok, ok! Before this-" She gestured to the room ahead of her. "Gets out of hand, can I _at least_ get _dressed?!"_ She asked the three conscious demons in the room. Hikari rolled her eyes and handed the girl her fluffy scarf with one hand, the other still massaging her harassed nose. Kagome was about to protest when the scarf began wrapping itself around Kagome's body, growing in size to envelop her torso and legs. Once it slithered back to its owner, Kagome found herself dressed in a deep blue satin dress, much like Hikari's.

"Neat!" Kagome chirped lightly as she felt the soft fabric against her body before looking towards her lover again.

Sesshomaru's eyes had locked on the white-haired creature when he felt her power. His whole body was on high alert, not daring to move or breathe. His beast was at the ready for a fight that would probably end up with him dead. Sesshomaru wasn't stupid, he figured out what she was the second she gave him a hint, and he would _not_ attack the white-haired beauty without the need to. He valued his life, thank you very much. Her power was so overwhelming that he was actually _scared_ she'd hurt Kagome, because if she decided to do so, there was nothing he could do to stop her. His mind raced trying to figure out a way to get Kagome away from her, it mattered not that she didn't seem to be scared of the creature.

And then, his little miko _pinched_ the powerful woman's nose, as you'd do to an insufferable child. You could almost hear the blue screen sound coming from him as he failed to process what the fuck he just witnessed.

Kagome could see the "'Sesshomaru'.exe has stopped working." message stamped clear on his features. Eyes wide, brows up and mouth slightly agape in a stunned look. It was foreign in the daiyoukai's face and it was creeping her out. She moved closer to him, calling him but he was unresponsive. She touched his cheek. Still nothing. Brush his fringe? Nope. Scream at him, kiss him, shake him, waving her arms in front of him. Nada. Not even her aura was working! She was getting desperate, so after pondering several times if it was a good idea and deciding it wasn't, she ignored her own advice and reiki slapped him in the face.

He felt the small hand hit his face with just enough force to make him face sideways. His brows furrowed as he returned to planet earth and he turned his head back, looking down to find nervous blue eyes staring at him with almost desperation.

"Kagome. Did you just _slap me?"_ He snarled at her, outraged, but to his surprise, there was relief on her face as she quickly started explaining herself.

"I'm sorry! You weren't breathing, you weren't doing anything! I've been trying to snap you out of it and you just seemed to be out of your body, you didn't answer to anything I did and I was getting scared!" She explained in a rush of words and he furrowed his brows, now in confusion, and his eyes snapped towards his futon, locking onto weirdly familiar pink irises. He began moving to stand between Kagome and the woman but the miko stopped him.

"Wait, wait! She's not a threat! Hikari is my sensei!" She explained to him and he stared at her for a good minute there. He looked once again at the giggling woman on his bed before turning his attention to Kagome again.

"You have a _demi-god_ as a teacher?" He asked her slowly, still trying to comprehend the huge implications that information brought upon the mystery that was his little miko. But he was quickly snapped out of his thoughts by the unison of Kagome and Isamu's loud inquire.

" **DEMI-GOD?!** " They turned to Hikari with gaping mouths and only said demi-god saw the daiyoukai finally registering the older Inu's presence to his left. He snapped his head towards the former general and rage boiled in his blood, making him see red. He was onto Isamu in an instant, only to have his wrist painfully grasped by the creator of the current mess. Her eyes shone a dark pink and she glared menacingly at Sesshoumaru, but in his rage, he didn't care. He wanted his father's general dead.

"Calm yourself, pup. Lest you do something you regret." He thrashed against her restraint, trying and failing to summon his whip to hurt Isamu, his rage increasing tenfold noticing it was Hikari who was blocking them. She held the Lord with ridiculous strength, it was as if she was holding a child instead of a full-grown daiyoukai. In his attempts to break free, Sesshomaru not once lifted a claw towards Hikari. _Ain't he a smart puppy._ The demi-god held a giggle, wanting to play the part of 'serious superior' at the moment. She had to hold another giggle at that thought.

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru lost himself to rage, barely being able to keep his human form while struggling to be released. It took her a second to calm down enough for her plan to work, but she did and one hesitant step after the other, she finally reached him. She let her aura wash over him at the same time she touched his shoulder, making him snap his head to her. Sesshomaru bared his elongated fangs to Kagome.

" _ **Remove it.**_ " He ordered in a menacing growl, but Kagome shook her head and moved to stand in front of him, Hikari by her side. He had stopped thrashing and was now trembling from head to toe. She reached out and touched his cheeks, rubbing her thumbs on his jagged stripes. He closed his eyes, letting her soothing touch genuinely calm his beast down.

When Hikari saw the jagged stripes turn to their beautiful smooth form, she let his wrist go and he immediately pulled Kagome into his arms, nuzzling her neck and inhaling as much of her scent as he could. Kagome blushed, but let him do as he pleased while slowly removing her aura from him. He trembled slightly at that but being where he was right now soothed him in ways he never imagined possible.

Isamu watched with empty eyes as the Lord regained control with the help of his student. He knew there was going to be a torrent of questions, and he could only hope Kagome would still find him decent enough to remain a friend. The former general wouldn't fight back, in fact, he welcomed the bloodthirst towards his person. He knew how much damage he did to the pup's life and not a day went by without the regret that came with falling in love. And suddenly, Isamu just wanted his temple, his peaceful sanctuary. He sighed silently and turned to leave.

"Running won't change anything." Hikari's voice tinkled through the room, making Isamu stop and Sesshomaru to stand upright, still holding Kagome close but letting her turn, her back flush against his chest. The older Inu didn't turn, but responded, his voice low and empty.

"I don't want _change,_ Hikari. I want peace." He said. Kagome felt Sesshomaru's hands on her shoulders tense and she lifted her own to caress his arms under his kimono sleeves. Hikari walked towards Isamu and stood in front of him. When she spoke, her voice was so low that the Inu himself had to strain his ears to hear it, but the Lord couldn't.

"Your 'peace' is turmoiled by your past, Isamu. If you don't face it you will never forgive yourself or _her._ " She explained in a calm voice that was just wrong coming from her mouth. But she cared for the old stubborn Inu. She wanted him to be able to live again, without hiding. Isamu looked at the demoness' that had been his _pain in the arse_ for the last seven years. His regal posture faltered a bit, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly, at the thought of returning to the temple only to continue tormenting himself, like he always did _._ It was still more bearable than staying in the western palace though.

Kagome didn't know why would Sesshomaru react in such a way around Isamu, but she could connect the dots. Her teacher was probably his father's general, and knowing the drama that took place in the past, resulting in a stubborn Hanyou, it probably had something to do with that. Hikari placed a hand on Isamu's shoulder.

"Stay, free yourself from this curse. Answer for your actions with honour." Hikari said in a soft voice. He stared into her pink eyes and saw something he never thought he'd see in that pest. Empathy. She was pleading for him to stay, for him to move on from his past. He sighed audibly and looked over his shoulder at Kagome with saddened eyes. Kagome tilted her head with a small smile that told him she'd be there for him, he'd have her support no matter what. And so Isamu breathed in deeply, let it go slowly, and made his way to the Lord of the West and his intended. Gold met gold and Isamu gave Sesshomaru the deepest of bows.

Sesshomaru had watched the exchange between the demi-god and that scum of the earth he used to call Sensei. He _obviously_ wouldn't be able to touch Isamu, with his coward ass being protected by Hikari, so he'd accept his offer of submission for now. As much as he wanted him dead, and his beast thrashed at the very sight of him, he would control himself. With a singular nod, the Lord acknowledged the former general and a truce was established between them. Sesshomaru was about to tell them to leave his chambers when Kagome spoke up out of nowhere.

"So… Hikari the demi-god. Mind explaining?" She asked the woman that spun around at the sound of her beloved student's voice. Isamu also turned to Hikari, he wanted some answers as well. Hikari skipped her way toward the couple and Kagome felt Sesshomaru become rigid with pure tension. Hikari noticed and giggled at the Inu Lord.

"Calm yourself, Ice Pup, I would never harm something my precious Kagome loves." She said, making Kagome blush and shift uncomfortably. The demi-god returned her attention to the petite girl situated between the daiyoukai and herself.

"First I need to know if the mutt is treating you well," Hikari asked and heard a growl from Sesshomaru, making her look at him with a brow raised. "Well _dear_ , it is not _my_ fault you are known as the Ice Prince!" They glared at each other and Kagome giggled.

"He is perfect with me Hikari, relax." She smiled sweetly to the skeptical demi-god. But seeing the genuine smile on Kagome's face made Hikari relax.

"That's good to know! Now I think that my story is worth to be told enjoying a feast! It is, after all, a tradition for the palaces to do prepare one to welcome a messenger from the Gods." She grinned to Sesshomaru and he closed his eyes to roll them, he knew she was going to be fucking impossible to deal with. Hikari giggled and skipped towards the door, grabbing Isamu's arm in the process. Before closing the door she looked at Kagome over her shoulder.

"Well, we'll leave you to enjoy the personification of your sexual fantasies, dearest. Oh, and you might want to get rid of the audience." She said pointing to the waking guards in the corner before leaving, giggling at Kagome's mortification and Sesshomaru's ever so slight blush. At the corridor Isamu slapped the back of her head, earning a whine and a pout. Demi-god or not, she was still an idiot.


	15. Mine!

**Okay so LEMON ALERT.**

 **I _loved_ writing this chapter, I truly hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Kagome sprawled herself back onto the futon while Sesshomaru closed the door. The guards were taken to the infirmary, rooms were arranged for the new 'guests', preparation for the sudden feast were currently happening, the kids were asleep with their bellies full and the daily report from the village was read. Finally, they were able to stop. Kagome's head was spinning, trying to grasp the reality of Hikari being a demi-god, Sesshomaru wanting Isamu dead and that Ryuji was coming to challenge Sesshomaru for her hand. Can a day be any more tiring?! Kagome believed so, she had a feast to attend to and a Hikari to control... Well, try to.

She sighed at her thoughts returning to Hikari. All those times she appeared to be weaker than Isamu, losing duels and whatnot. The horrid week after Kagome found out about her aura, she came back to the temple as destroyed as the miko. Everything in the past few years screamed that she was 'normal' to Kagome. Well… Hikari normal. That thought reminded her of what happened a couple of hours earlier and she frowned. What in the world goes through someone's head to simply barge into a cardinal palace and wake a resting miko by dropping their whole weight onto her stomach?!

"I believe nothing goes through that woman's mind." Said the baritone voice with a hint of amusement. Kagome blushed and looked at him as he sprawled next to her on the futon, equally exhausted.

"Did I say that aloud?" She asked, rolling to his side so she could nest herself on his chest.

"You mumbled it." He told her, a small smirk playing on his lips as he wrapped his arm around her, lightly caressing her arm with his thumb. Kagome chuckled lightly, but her smile soon faded as she wasn't feeling too cheerful. Quite the opposite actually, this whole situation screamed trouble, and she was terrified of what might happen to Isamu. He is her mentor, her friend. But for Sesshomaru to lose control like that? He did something serious and she was set on finding out, but tomorrow, she still had a feast to attend and a soon to be drunk Hikari to deal with. They kept quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the silence until Kagome felt Sesshomaru poke the middle of her brows, where a V had formed since she laid down.

"You frown too much." He told her and she deepened her expression into a mock-frown with a pout, making him chuckle. She chuckled back and sat up at the edge of the raised futon after a few minutes.

"Damn I'm tired." She let slip, looking at her feet dangling just above the floor. Five hours of sleep were simply not enough. She had changed clothes and was wearing a beautiful maroon Kimono adorned with white lotus flowers. Sesshomaru had deemed Hikari's outfit on her 'far too distracting'. He sat beside her and began brushing her loose hair with his clawed fingers.

"You don't need to attend if you don't want to." He told her and she snorted.

"Oh, and leave you to deal with Hikari on your own? I'd give about five minutes before you try to strangle her. I don't know if you noticed, but she does as she pleases." Sesshomaru scowled in discontent.

"Indeed." He agreed and Kagome looked at him for a bit before giggling.

"What amuses you?" He asked her, looking at her with a side glance.

"The memory of a 'Hikari stunned' Sesshomaru." She explained and he scowled again. Never something had shocked him so much to the point of stunning him completely. But it wasn't the crazy woman who pulled that reaction out of him.

"The demi-god was not what..." He didn't finish, still hesitant in admitting something so shameful out loud. Kagome picked up on that.

"Oh? Then what was it?" She inquired, leaning over a bit to look at his face. He so wasn't comfortable with these situations Kagome's presence were bringing upon him, she was like this potent magnet attracting every sort of mess the world could provide.

"You." _As usual..._ He added in thought. She cocked an eyebrow to him and he explained. "You pinched the nose of one of the most powerful and deadly creatures this world can generate as if she was an annoying _child._ " His voice still held disbelief. Kagome blinked twice before laughing loudly. Sesshomaru patiently waited for her to calm down, a tiny smirk on his face as he realised the hilarity of it. Gods, this woman and her absurd situations! Life would most likely never be boring around her. When Kagome calmed down she spoke again.

"You might've noticed that Hikari basically _is_ an annoying child. It just so happens that one of her parents is a God." She giggled again when he groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, being reminded that he had to be a host to the most powerful troublemaker on earth. Nevertheless, he'd be a good one. Hikari's presence in Kagome's life meant something big was coming and they needed the Gods guidance. They'd probably need all the help they could get if Hikari was the best the Gods were giving them though.

* * *

"Why not?!" Hikari bellowed against the closed screen panel, making the servants already rushing through the corridors flinch and run faster, away from the scary lady. She heard Isamu sighing from within his room again.

"My presence will only cause discomfort and make Lord Sesshomaru act out. I'm staying in my room and you will not be able to convince me otherwise." She huffed in exasperation, damn that old stubborn Inu! How _dare_ he use logic against her! Before she could say anything, however, the panel door slid open to show Isamu only in his black hakamas. Hikari eyed him from head to toe with a smirk and a cocked brow. He might be older than Sesshomaru, but he was still quite the demon. He sighed.

"I really don't want to fight Hikari. Haven't you done enough already?" He asked her in a tired voice. A pout appeared on her face before she sighed in defeat.

"I so hate it when you are right. That pup shouldn't even care for what happened. Really, Isamu, you were just following your heart." She said to him and he let out a sad chuckle.

"I should've known better, and you know that." He said to her and there was the pout again, making him smirk a little. "Now off with you, the feast is in your honour after all." She smirked at him dangerously.

"Indeed, and I intend to make the _most_ out of it." She said in a tone that made Isamu's whole body shiver with dread while he watched the crazy woman skip away. She was planning something. But hell, he was too tired to care, Kagome can deal with her.

* * *

The dining hall Kagome entered was immense and just plain beautiful. The walls showed a landscape portraying mountains and green fields sprinkled with spring Sakuras and castles. It looped perfectly, covering all four walls and screen panels. On the back wall, right behind where Sesshomaru would sit, there was a huge white Inu in demon form howling to a crescent moon. The table formed a squarish U, with Sesshomaru's seat located right in the center of its 'bottom'.

The room was already filled with demons and demonesses, whose casual chatting ceased once Sesshomaru entered with Kagome by his side. Kagome wore a midnight blue kimono with white-flowered vines crawling up the rims. They wanted to put her in a seven-layer but she protested saying she had 'a Hikari to deal with and needed to be able to move to do so'. Half of her hair was pinned into an intricate bun adorned with sakura flower pins as the rest flowed freely down her back and shoulders. Sesshomaru wore a traditional Kimono similar in colour to Kagome's with details in white much like his usual clothes. The only embroidery it had was a silver crescent moon on his right shoulder. Kagome put on a mask of indifference over her features to match Sesshomaru's and he began the announcement.

"We have been blessed," Kagome held a snort at that, already failing at her mission to keep a straight face. She could almost feel Sesshomaru refraining himself from the sarcasm. "The Gods sent us one of their children to guide us through this time of unease." Gasps were heard and a low murmur began to take place, but soon stopped as Sesshomaru continued. "Her exact purpose here is unknown, as it normally is when dealing with divine affairs. We shall, nonetheless, welcome her into our home. Please come forth, Hikari-sama." He stepped aside and Kagome did the same to the other side, turning to face Sesshomaru who was also facing her.

Hikari walked elegantly into the room and the couple bowed towards her, as did the rest of the occupants of the room. She snorted at the sight of Sesshomaru bowing, making everyone look at her.

"You are way too _boring_ , Ice Pup, let us skip the formalities begin the fun part!" She said and waltzed to sit at the right side of Sesshomaru's seat. Normally one such as herself would sit on the central spot, but she wanted Kagome to remain close to the Lord. For research purposes.

Sesshomaru had to hold a growl in, that wench was going to test his every ounce of patience, she would make it her life mission to do so. And his patience was already running low. He felt Kagome enlacing his fingers with hers and looked to his side. She had an understanding smile on her pink lips and he let out a silent sigh. Only his little miko to keep him from committing suicide in an attempt to kill a demi-god. He almost chuckled remembering what she told him in his room. They walked to their places and Sesshomaru rose a brow to the giggling Hikari sitting beside his spot instead of in it. He brushed it off though, that would leave him with Kagome by his side and he would take any small victory he could get.

He signalled to his servants and the feast began. Sesshomaru remained silent most of the time while Hikari wouldn't let Kagome eat in peace. The royalty that was present was taken aback by the demi-god's behaviour, but as the alcohol seeped into their bloodstream, they began finding her funny and approachable. At some point, Yukimi showed up and very, very silently sat beside Hikari, who was quite tipsy already, but to Yukimi's dismay, didn't fail to notice her.

"Yukimi, dear! Did you come to give me a proper welcome?" She beamed at her daughter who, in return, sighed audibly. Kagome, who already had a few drinks thanks to Hikari, was confused. Hikari knew Yukimi? Since when?

"Yukimi-san, where do you know Hikari from?" She asked, leaning forward to see past the wall of silk and fluff. Said wall also tuned into the conversation, glancing his golden orbs sideways at the females. Hikari's brows furrowed, her daughter was her spitting image apart from her horns and hair colour… and maybe her nose that was less pointed. She turned to her daughter who was silently drinking, her eyes closed trying to ignore the inquiry towards her person. Hikari scanned the sorceress and let out a long and dramatic gasp, making everyone pay attention to the exchange.

"I cannot believe it, Yukimi! How dare you!" She cried with hurt in her voice to the demoness, whose brow twitched in irritation. Everyone was waiting for her response when Hikari suddenly stood up and ripped the silver rings away from her daughter's horns. Everyone went silent and Yukimi looked back at her mother, sending a menacing glare over her shoulder. The crowd blinked slowly and another gasp was heard.

"Holy shit! You're basically a black-haired Hikari!" Kagome practically bellowed while standing on her knees, her hands moving forwards on the table and stopping in front of Sesshomaru to get a better look, manners gone with the wind. The Lord took the chance to glance over his intended oh so provocative position, suddenly uninterested in the exchange happening to his right.

Yukimi internally groaned in frustration. She was required to be there by tradition, being a counsellor to a Lord brought responsibilities, but damn how she regretted showing up. Seeing the glare wasn't having any effect, she turned to look at the miko who had bellowed the obvious. She was basically on all fours with her hands on the table, offering her side to the big Inu who was hungrily eyeing her as his dessert. She chuckled at the scene before answering the question being silently screamed at her by everyone in the room.

" _Unfortunately,_ Hikari is my mother. The rings were enchanted so that anyone who didn't know of our blood relation wouldn't see any resemblance between us. You see, her reputation follows her and she isn't exactly _discreet_. It was nothing more than self-preservation." she said calmly as she snatched her rings from her mother and returned to her meal. Kagome was gawking, Hikari was a mother. Just… how? _Who's the_ _ **father**_ _?!_ Her stun didn't last, however, as she felt Sesshomaru lean forward to whisper in her ear.

"If you remain like this, I will be having _you_ for dessert." Kagome shivered and looked at him. Hell, if she didn't care for decency, just the look in those golden eyes would be enough to make her offer herself to him on this very table. But she did, and so she moved back to her seat, blushing furiously, just to end up having to get up and calm Hikari down from the fit she was now throwing.

Once Sesshomaru gave permission for Yukimi to leave, which didn't take long to happen, she stood and walked away while muttering something about behaviour and fledgelings. Hikari calmed down to her usual troublesome self, deciding to teach her daughter a lesson later since she had a mission at the moment. She then proceeded to stir the feast into 'heavy drinking mode', making Sesshomaru break out his finest beverages for her. She pulled Kagome to sit between herself and the Lord, trying to keep a close eye on their interactions while she slowly saturated their blood with sweet alcohol. She was so smooth in her manipulations that not even Sesshomaru noticed he was drinking a lot more than he usually would. Hikari was a professional, her slogan was "a drunk demon is a sincere idiot".

Kagome ended up in such a state that she just didn't give a damn anymore. It felt awesome. She would laugh at Hikari's attempts to get onto Sesshomaru's nerves, have giggling fits out of nowhere, swat Hikari when she would reveal embarrassing things about her. Kagome talked about many things with many demons, she even got into a few heated arguments. She might've accepted a couple of duels here and requested others there.

Sesshomaru, who was also drunk and very amused by his intoxicated miko, observed and listened to everything, trying not to interact much, unless Kagome was obviously getting her drunk ass into trouble or there was the need to put a demon's ass back in their place. Sometimes, he would concentrate so hard on keeping a straight face that Kagome would pull on his mokomoko for attention, only to get distracted by the fluffiness of the pelt and bury her face in it, giggling. He only answered Kagome's random questions every now and then since before he could trust himself to answer, she would have already asked something else, making him go into deep thought again.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome lose grasp of her aura little by little and when noticing it, she would make an angry pout and pull it back. To him, it was quite funny because everyone was so drunk nothing would really change for anyone. This went on for almost four hours before they called it a night and everyone stumbled their way back to their chambers.

Hikari sighed in dazed satisfaction as she admired her handy work: the intoxicated couple making their way to their chambers. Soon enough her mission would complete itself and she would be able to focus on helping Isamu. She blinked, the thought reminding her of a certain demoness she needed to call over for a girls' night, and walked back to her chambers to 'write' a quick note and summon her pet to deliver it.

Sesshomaru walked with Kagome beside him hugging his pelt and nuzzling it from time to time. She couldn't help it, it's something she wanted to do almost constantly when Sesshomaru was around her.

"You do know that mokomoko is part of me, right?" He asked, amused as she blushed and looked up at him, a thoughtful expression turning quickly into a sweet smile.

"Well, that explains why I love it so much!" She told him, hugging the pelt tight and giggling when he immediately faced forward, trying to hide the blush that suddenly insisted on staining his cheeks.

They reached the door of his chambers and he opened it for her, motioning for her to get in, like a true gentleman. She beamed at him and let his pelt go to enter, innocently blind to the predator's intentions. When she walked past him, he swatted her ass, making her jump forward into the room with a squeak.

"Did the _Lord of the West_ just slap my ass?" She asked while turning, a grin invading her lips and a brow raising in amusement.

"He did." Sesshomaru answered with a cocky smirk that showed the tip of a fang while closing the door behind him, eyes fixed on her. She giggled and threw herself into his arms making him stumble, but not fall. The killing perfection does not fall just like that goddammit! Although one would argue that if the door wasn't there, that wouldn't be the case. Kagome hummed in satisfaction.

"Have I ever told you how _delicious_ you smell?" She asked him while burying her face on his chest, making him blush again, alcohol made it so hard to avoid it. He pulled her arms to his neck and wrapped his own around her waist. They remained like that for a bit, embraced with their foreheads against each other. He looked intently into her eyes, getting lost in those deep blue oceans. Kagome watched, confused, as a frustrated expression began to adorn his features.

" _Damn it_ , Kagome!" He growled out suddenly and Kagome snorted, finding it funny how frustrated he looked.

"What? What the hell did I do?!" She asked with a few giggles.

" _Why_ are you so _fucking_ _beautiful_?" He snarled and crashed his lips against hers. She moaned in his mouth as she pulled him as close as possible, getting lost in the movements of his tongue and the sweet aroma of a sake filled Sesshomaru.

He let his hands roam her body, pulling the Kimono up to get access to her thighs. She moaned his name against his lips as he lightly scraped his claws up her legs. Kagome began loosening his obi, getting her hands into his kimono to feel the smooth skin above the strong muscles. He growled and ripped her sash, opening her kimono to have full access to her lace covered body. The smell of her arousal slammed into him and his beast took complete control.

He pulled her up abruptly, making her giggle in his mouth and wrap her legs around his waist. His beast, naturally driven by instinct, thought he could make it to the futon without letting go of her delicious lips to look. Only he forgot he was drunk. Taking a miscalculated step, he stumbled on a cushion and fell. It took him almost no time to realize he would fall on top of Kagome and he quickly spun, hitting his back on the hardwood floor with a grunt, the cushions inches away from him.

Kagome blinked, looking at the cushions beside them. It took her dazed mind a moment to realize what just happened, but when she did, she couldn't hold it. She began laughing out loud on top of him, her body shaking as she let the hilarity of what just happened out of her system. Sesshomaru was back in control now, his beast, being too mortified to deal with that shit, left his logic side to feel the sting of shame firsthand. He blinked and felt Kagome sit upright to straddle him, still laughing. He was about to scold her when he looked up. Her kimono was open, granting his eyes a peek at her beautiful body covered in tempting white lingerie. Her hair had fallen from the bun and was now completely free, framing her face in long and soft waves and falling over her shoulders all the way to his torso. She was smiling wide and blushing. The sight made him forget she was laughing at him, and he set his hazy mind onto memorizing the image the best it could.

Kagome finally calmed down and saw him staring at her, the look on his golden eyes rekindling the fire that was her need of him. She bent downward, their torsos fully touching each other as she hovered her face above his. She wanted to seduce him but couldn't pass on the chance to tease him. Those didn't come often.

"You are _adorable_ when drunk _._ " She teased and he scowled, sitting upright and taking her with him.

"This Sesshomaru is neither _adorable_ nor _drunk_ , mind you." He told her matter of factly with a serious expression on his face, making her giggle.

"So you're telling me you tripped like this while _sober_?" She asked, raising a brow as he furrowed his own in thought. He seemed to be taking a lot of time to process her comment, so Kagome decided to take his mind off of his predicament by bringing her lips to his, kissing him gently, her hands bringing his face closer to hers.

Sesshomaru suddenly forgot what he was thinking about and lost himself in her lips, closing his eyes and wrapping once again his arms around her to pull her closer. The sweet kiss soon began to heat up and he returned to his task of stripping her. His hands snuck under her kimono and he gently pushed it off her shoulders, his claws touching her skin delicately, almost in reverence. Kagome moved her arms in order to let the kimono fall and, when that was done, began working on his already loosened obi. When she finally was able to get rid of the damn thing, he moved to lay her on the cushions while hovering above her.

She was a vision. The fire from the firepit laid her in orange hues, shadows danced upon her features. She had a deep blush that went all the way to her chest and shoulders. Her mouth was slightly agape as she panted with anticipation on what her Inu would do to her, blue eyes locked onto gold.

Never Sesshomaru thought he would look at a woman, a human at that, and feel so many things at once. Her scent, her body, her words, her smiles… her very being screamed that she was meant to be his, and ever since Sesshomaru knew himself as a demon, he knew it was right to follow his instincts. It had never failed him so far.

He smirked to her and pulled at the middle of her bra, releasing it with a snap against her skin, silently telling her to take it off if she didn't want it ripped. She giggled and arched her back to get access to the clasp on her back. He looked at her body arching towards him and a needy growl left his throat as he bent and licked her abdomen up to her neck, where he started sucking and nipping at. Kagome's breath hitched and she rushed to get rid of the damned bra. She unhooked it after what seemed like an eternity and moved her arms up his chest and neck to let him know she was finished. She would tell him but her moans weren't exactly letting her.

Sesshomaru felt her small and soft hands slide up his chest and wasted no time in moving to remove the garment from her. After that was done, he trailed kisses from her mouth all the way to her breast, where he proceeded to assault one nipple with his mouth and the other with his hand. Kagome let out a loud moan but stopped it midway with her hand covering her mouth. Sesshomaru looked up, confused.

"What?" he asked.

"The kids! They're right there!" She whispered pointing at the door. Sesshomaru's howl was one thing, but her _moans?!_ Hell no, she ain't traumatizing poor Shippo! Sesshomaru looked at the door to his right, trying to remember why he didn't worry about it. He didn't want Rin to listen to their 'activity' either, but there was a reason he didn't… _oh, right._

"They won't hear us." He told her and she scowled at him.

"They are too close! Of course they will hear us!" She whispered loudly to him and he leaned in to give her a kiss before reassuring her.

"When we arrived I asked Yukimi to enchant this room so it would block any sound from getting out. The kids won't hear anything, no one will." He explained to her, leaving behind the detail that this didn't apply to the springs, but the kids were at the gardens at that particular moment. All they heard was his howl.

Kagome's brows furrowed in thought and she sent a slight pulse of reiki towards the walls. There was indeed magic embedded into them. She sighed in relief and it turned into a mewl halfway, as Sesshomaru returned to his interrupted task. His hand, however, instead of returning to her other breast, slid all the way down the apex between her thighs. He lightly teased her folds with his claws, the fabric protecting her sensitive flesh but doing nothing to stop the sensation. Kagome moaned with need and fisted her hands beside her. He continued with his annoyingly light tease, sending shivers all over her everytime those damned claws scraped the fabric above her intimate area.

"Sesshomaru, please?" She pleaded, squirming under his unforgiving ministrations. He let go of her nipple to look at her, that cocky grin rightfully back in place.

"Please what, love?" He asked her in a hoarse voice, she blushed deeper (if that was even possible) and answered him.

"I want you." She said in a whisper. She might as well have screamed it. It made Sesshomaru's whole body shiver with need and a deep lust he didn't even know he had. His little miko was _pleading_ for him, and he would gladly oblige. He dove to kiss her, pressing his body against her, his painfully hard member meeting her heated core, still separated by too much fabric. When he separated to breathe, he bit off his claws before trailing kisses, sucks and nips towards her torso, giving her neglected nipple a playful nip before moving forward. Kagome was moaning and panting hard with anticipation, her moans growing louder as he got closer to his destination. Once he reached it, he growled at the sight of the undergarment, as if it's bare existence offended him. He bit at the top rim and slowly pulled it down her legs.

If Kagome was already wet, now she was dripping. Sesshomaru was using his _mouth_ to move her panties out of the way and she couldn't believe what only that was doing to her. Her whole body trembled as she lifted her pelvis up to allow the fabric to slide down. Sesshomaru brought the offending garment halfway down her thighs before pulling the rest of the way with his hands. He was almost drooling at the sight. She was so ready for him he had to refrain from impaling her immediately. The second her legs were free, he dove in for his so longed dessert. She tasted _fucking_ _amazing_. As sweet as her scent told him she would be, if not more.

Kagome let out a loud pleasured cry when Sesshomaru's mouth made contact with her folds and greedily sucked on them. He lapped at her, from her entrance and all the way to her precious button, where he proceeded to suck and nip. Kagome was moaning louder and louder and when he inserted one finger, pulled back and reinserted two at once, she threw her hands up in desperation. She fisted the cushions her hands could reach, crying in pleasure as he stroked her walls on that oh so delicious spot, all the while harassing her bundle of nerves.

She was writhing under his touch when she felt his clawed hand reach up to play with her nipple. With that and a slightly rougher nip and she was unravelling in pleasure, arching her back and letting out a loud and long moan. Sesshomaru continued his ministrations, prolonging her high and greedily tasting her while doing so. When he felt she began relaxing, he trailed his way back to her lips. She blushed as she tasted herself in him, but that only helped to increase a heated need that had formed on her lower abdomen that her orgasm didn't help erase.

Kagome groaned against his lips and began struggling to undress him. Without second thoughts he helped her, getting rid of his kimono, boots and hakamas. Sesshomaru leaned down to kiss her, pressing his naked figure against hers, grinding his most private area against her own. They both moaned at the sensation. He supported himself with one arm and with the other, he trailed from her neck to her thigh, savouring every curve, taking in the softness of her skin above her strong muscles.

She pushed him slightly, separating their kiss to look into his golden eyes. She caressed his silver locks, intently taking every detail of his handsome face: markings, thin brows, bangs spread all over his face. She thought about how they came to find themselves like this. Had you told her a month ago she'd be courted by Sesshomaru of all people, she would laugh at your face for the ridiculousness of it. And yet, there she was, pulled by fate or not, she didn't care, she wanted him, she _needed_ him. She wanted his lax reactions to happen with her, and her _only._ She relished every sweet gesture that came from him, and she honestly couldn't remember a time where she was this happy. He broke her thoughts with his husky voice.

"Be mine, Kagome." He asked her and she felt her whole body shudder, his mask was so long forgotten and all she could see was his affection, adoration and dared she say, love he felt for her. He had done so much for her, proved to be so much more than the cold-blooded killer everyone thought he was.

"I'm already yours, Sesshomaru." She beamed at him. He looked intently at her, his golden eyes gazing into her dazed blue sapphires and then he dove to her mouth, savouring every corner of it. She hummed against his lips and felt his clawed hand trace from her chest to her folds, making him let out a pleased groan when he felt she was once again _very_ ready for him. He inserted a finger, and then another two while playing with her nub, expanding her so he wouldn't hurt her so much by entering, which made her moan loudly.

Sesshomaru positioned himself on her entrance, already slick with her juices, and looked at her. Her blue eyes sparkled with anticipation and anxiousness, her bottom lip was being bitten and she was panting slightly. He reached for her hand and enlaced his fingers with hers, squeezing it to reassure her. She nodded and when he met her lips, he thrust into her. She was so tight he only got halfway through. He felt her bite his bottom lip and pant against his mouth. Retreating slightly, he thrust once again, this time going all the way through her barrier. She whimpered lightly against his mouth and he resumed his sweet kiss, distracting her while she adjusted to his size.

Once she stopped squeezing him, he leaned back to look at her and saw a single tear rolling down her temple. He licked it away and pressed his forehead against hers, beginning to move slowly as he felt her walls relax further around him. He began to pick up pace, forcing his hazy mind to function and take control not to spill himself without making her reach her release first. Her first time would be perfect, he would make sure of it.

As Sesshomaru moved faster and she began to moan louder, he moved his free hand to reach her nub and stroke it with round motions. Kagome arched her back and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. He growled and gave her lips a quick kiss before trailing down to her neck, where he hovered above her mark. He felt the anticipation almost emanating from her. He began thrusting harder, opened his jaws, his youki concentrating fully in his fangs, and bit down, exactly where he had bitten her before. Kagome cried in pleasure and carved her nails into his back, pulling herself closer to him. The bite had sent her over the edge and she exploded in pleasure around him. At that blissful moment, everything within Kagome told her to bite down, to mark him. Make him hers. And so she did. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he felt her teeth sink into his flesh and he lost the battle against his body, reaching his orgasm with her. They felt their powers mix within their bloodstream, adding to the pleasure of their climaxes.

As they calmed down for a second, Kagome felt stunned. It was pure, unadulterated ecstasy. She could feel every inch of him on her, every strand of his hair tickling her skin, his delicious scent overwhelming her into bliss, his addictive blood, sweet and powerful against her tongue and throat. There was something else too, she couldn't quite place her finger on a feeling that was beginning to overwhelm her, but before she could think about it any further, Sesshomaru began moving. He let her neck go, leading her to do the same, and licked the mark so it would heal. He then leaned back and looked at her. At his _mate_.

 **Finally!**

His beast roared its victory. This whole charade took way too long for his taste. When the _beast_ chooses the mate, it usually takes a mere day for the pair to be mated. One month? Fucking eternity. Sesshomaru couldn't help the grin that invaded his features, making Kagome smile back at him.

"What?" She asked him and he kissed her passionately, leaving her breathless and full of raw desire again before whispering in her ear in a hoarse voice.

"You are finally _mine."_ He told her, resuming the movement of his hips against hers, making the music that was her sweet moans hit his ears again.

* * *

The female Inu sat on her garden, watching the sun rise above the clouds while smoking silently. The sky was always beautiful in her palace and she deeply relished that fact. A servant came forward and waited for the Inu to let the smoke out of her lungs, when she did, her golden eyes locked on him.

"My Lady." He bowed.

"Speak." She said in a bored tone.

"There is a… messenger for you at the lobby, milady." The Inu tilted her head to the young demon.

"A messenger, in the early hours of the day?" She inquired with mild curiosity, not really expecting an answer since she was already standing up and walking towards the palace. She walked through the halls, with an elegance that could only be compared to her offspring's, and arrived at the lobby to find a huge dragon patiently waiting. It was a white Chinese dragon, with a peachy hue to its highlights. Once it spotted the female Inu, the dragon bowed its head in respect and walked over to her.

"Bai! How are you doing, dearest? It's been almost a full millennium, what brings you here all of a sudden?" The silver-haired female asked, extending a delicate clawed hand to the beast. It purred and leaned towards the Inu's touch, placing its huge snout against her tiny hand, the golden chains in its horns clinking with the movement. Once happy with the amount of affection received, the dragon created space between itself and the Inu and breathed in deeply, exhaling downwards in a shower of light yellow flames. Once the dragon closed its mouth, a slender figure made of that same fire stood in front of the dragon.

"Inukimi~!" The figure sang and said Inu rolled her eyes. "I sent Bai over to say hi, since you like spoiling him, and to give you this little 'note'. I have the most _wonderful_ news! Your son mated!" Inukimi froze, her eyes were wide as she stared at the fire Hikari in front of her.

"Now, I know it is shocking and that you didn't even receive a letter warning you of his courtship, but trust me. The girl is _to die for._ Your son has the best taste in women, takes after his father." Inukimi growled in annoyance until she understood what she truly meant. _Did Sesshomaru mate a_ _ **human**_ _?!_

"You'll just love her, I can feel it! Oh, and I think your presence might be needed over here. For the boring ceremonies-" She made a gagging sound. "And also because your pup is going to declare war against the North. So wrap up that fluff of yours around your butt and come over! Things are most entertaining over here!" And with that, the flame Hikari disappeared into smoke and left an enraged Inukimi staring at the dragon's chest.

"Kaoru!" She bellowed and the guard came rushing from a hall.

"Yes, my Lady?" He bowed.

"I'm going to the Western Palace. Keep my palace in order in my absence." She said to him as she moved towards Bai.

"Don't you need to prepare for your trip, milady?" He asked, watching her approach the dragon and pet his snout.

"No. Bai is the fastest mount there is and I don't want to waste any time. The future of the west may depend on me knocking some sense into my foolish son." She said as she elegantly held onto one of the dragon's horns and swung herself upon his huge neck.

"Bai." She called for the beast's attention and it huffed to let her know it was listening. "The faster we get there, more sweets you get." She told in a promising voice and the dragon did not hesitate to fly away with full speed through the huge doors.


	16. Not everything is as it seems

**Northern Territory - 1 A.M.**

A blood-chilling roar resonated through the dark fortress. The pair that was currently in said building and was very much susceptible to the creature's fury, didn't flinch at the menacing sound. Youkai of their calibre did not show any weaknesses. The human hime chained beside them did though, but held her regal posture, keeping an indifference mask on her features as her mind swirled to try and keep desperation at bay.

The demons waited patiently for their 'ally' to calm himself, they needed his rational and centred demeanour instead of the wild and useless one. He took the news better than they expected, not harming them, just destroying everything he got his hands on. There were a few crashes and rumbling as the creature vented against the structure, somewhere to their left. After a little while, there was silence. It was worse than the sound of destruction, it brought a heavy sense of dread onto the present individuals.

The trio remained quiet on the dusty and dim lit room, listening to the faint sound of approaching steps. The panel slammed open suddenly, making the young hime jump in surprise and the youkai pair to look at the tall man now staring at them. He wore hanfu garments, an outfit composed of a white shirt, deep blue 'hakamas', black fabric shoes and covering the outfit, a black robe with elegant geometric silver details embroidered at its rims. The man had his white hair up in a tight bun adorned with a silver ornament at its base. His features were that of a handsome Chinese young man. His bone structure was angular, his lips the perfect size and his rounded nose was just the right fit in his face. He was almost _too_ perfect.

The only indications that he was not human was his almost translucent hair and his sharp eyes. They were red and either deepened or softened in hue, depending on his mood. Currently, they were a vibrant crimson, indicating his displeasure. He watched, sneering, as the three creatures bowed deeply towards his person, foreheads touching the floor.

"Your formalities will not spare you from my wrath, _cats._ " He told the twin couple. Yuuko spoke without lifting her head.

"The lack of it would certainly displease you further, my Lord." She said in a soft tone, making the man scoff.

"Do not waste my time. Explain to me why the higher Miko, who you were supposed to keep away from a youkai mating, is currently held within the arms of a _daiyoukai._ " He asked, controlling himself not to get into another raging fit as his fury rose with every word. The human hime stood, looking blankly at nothing in particular, followed by the twins, who also stood elegantly, glancing at each other before Yuuto spoke.

"We do not know, milord. We believe someone has intervened." He explained in his baritone voice, his irises were thin slits as his senses were on edge, ready to dodge the infuriated male standing regally in front of him if needed. Said male rose a neat brow at the youkai.

"Care to elaborate?" He asked with impatience and Yuuto quickly obliged.

"Our little performer here," He motioned to the woman in chains. "Has brought to our attention that the miko claims to have been away for seven years instead of one. This would explain her absurd growth in power, but she does not seem to know how the time discrepancy occurred." He stated and the tall man furrowed his brows in deep thought, his eyes almost glowing in realisation.

This could only be a divine intervention. No mortal would ever be able to disrupt time on their own, especially not knowing about it. It takes an absurd amount of power to be able to twist a timeline and it usually renders the deity who did it unconscious for quite some time. There could be a good side to this mess, depending on which God decided to mess with such affairs. But in general, this only meant more work.

"What of the dog?" He asked, and this time Yuuko responded.

"As far as we know, her aura bent his emotions towards her. We do not know how it is possible, but she has little control over it and he seems to want to help her with that, thus the trip to the Western palace." She explained and watched, relieved, as the man's irises returned to a tamed maroon colour while his mind raced around the information.

"For a change, you seem to be right Yuuto. This Miko may be destined to much more than what I have previously anticipated for the Gods themselves to be meddling into her fate." At this the young hime was brought out of her stupor, keeping her eyes off of the man but her ears in full attention. The twins shot a glance to each other in concern before looking at the man again.

"The only beings powerful enough to bend time to their whims are Gods, and for them to do her a favour like this, it can only mean that they needed her ready for something, and fast." He explained to the concerned pair. The man was concerned himself, but didn't show it. This was bad, it doesn't fit at all with the old man's prediction, which he knew was true since he helped him off of his shackles.

"Pardon my questioning, milord, but wouldn't it be easier to just kill the miko? Or everyone in your way for that matter." Yuuko asked hesitantly and the man narrowed his eyes at the female.

"That is _none_ of your concern, pet. Question me again and I will punish you accordingly." He told her with a flash of bright crimson in his eyes. Yuuko bowed taking a step back, and the man's eyes soothed after a bit. Her line of questioning made sense after all. "I will answer one thing. I have the _best_ use for the miko after this troublesome charade is over once I get my hands on her. She holds great holy power, one could use offspring from such a creature." He stated with malice.

If at first, he thought she was his demise, now he could see the endless possibilities that her existence could bring him. But for those possibilities to be possible, he needed things to get back on track.

"You have received a letter from the West, yes?" He asked Yuuto and he gave him a nod.

"Good, provoke the Western Lord, make him declare war upon the North. The bigger the ruckus, less obvious our target is." He said _. 'Keep prying eyes away from you.'_ The old man's mantra repeated itself within his mind and the man turned to the black haired human.

"And you, _sweetest_ Izayoi," She finally looked at him. "Will continue to play nice and perform your very best act as a loving Kikyou. Or, as promised, your son and his little pack will be receiving a little gift from me." He said that and a menacing rumble came from somewhere within the fortress, making Izayoi shiver and a single tear to run down her face, her eyes glaring at the sickening creature in front of her.

Said creature grinned a fanged smile and walked to her, bending towards her to lick it away then holding her chin to make her look up. Oh how he _loved_ that look of desperation adorning her sweet features. It brought most joy to him when she let her emotions slip.

"Why not _command_ me to do the job?" She asked him suddenly, surprising the three individuals in the room with her. The man lift an eyebrow to her and licked his lips.

"Because, silly hime, a mindless ghoul can't _love_ properly. I need your act to be convincing and for you, affection towards the pup comes naturally, does it not?" He asked and Izayoi gulped back a retch that wanted to come with full force. The man chuckled.

"Fear not, princess, just keep him on his happiness leash and nothing will harm him... or his pup. I will need him by my side, after all. So, will you behave for me, dearest I-za-yoi?" He asked her, drawling her name as his wicked grin widened.

"Yes, Zhihao-sama." She said in a trembling voice. He hummed in satisfaction and let go of her, walking out of the room and slamming the panel behind him. He heard the shuffle of silk and chains behind him as the twins left with her back to their castle. There was a piece missing in this puzzle and Zhihao knew it. He needed to chat with his most recent best friend.

* * *

 **Western Palace - 2 A.M.**

Sesshomaru silently sighed in satisfaction as Kagome fell asleep, nestled against his chest while he laid sideways. They moved to his futon at some point but he couldn't really remember when… or care, for that matter. He furrowed his brows as Kagome's breathing became steady with sleep but her aura was nowhere to be felt. Yukimi said he needed to 'access' her center to release the fissure and only the mating wouldn't resolve the aura issue. Maybe she was too exhausted. He smirked at that, he worked his miko too hard.

An hour passed and Sesshomaru was watching her sleeping form, a small smile still lingered on her lips. He moved a few rogue strands from her face, her head gently turning towards his touch and a faint hum escaping her. Only that and his chest felt warm with that weird sensation again. What had this woman done to him?

 **We love her.**

His beast explained to him and Sesshomaru breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of sex and their mingled scents, before exhaling slowly, looking towards nothing in particular. Love wasn't a subject he was used to, and he was currently too mentally exhausted to think about it. The remaining alcohol still in his bloodstream didn't help either. The familiar tone of relaxed satisfaction took him out of his thoughts and he looked at Kagome again. His golden eyes widened.

 **Holy fuck!**

 _Indeed._

* * *

 **Western Palace - 10 A.M.**

Hikari levitated in the exact middle of her room in a meditative position, her long hair floating around her. Those who didn't know her would think her to be the most calming and magical creature to ever walk this Earth. Again, those who _didn't_ know her. If you got close enough, you'd be able to see that white brow of hers twitch ever so slightly in irritation. It wasn't long before noon when she had been awakened by those lazy hooligans that never got their hands dirty. And guess who they call to clean up their mess? Yep, the horned slave currently floating in her room receiving her instructions. Her ankles itched suddenly, wanting to be free from its jewellery.

Hikari cursed to herself. If it wasn't for Kagome she would be raising hell for those idiots, telling them to figure out on their own how the heck did someone got resurrected out of nowhere and messed up the young girl's fate. But Hikari had a feeling that they probably knew already, the bastards. They were hiding something from her, some essential information that they either deemed too important or too delicate to share with her, just because she 'drew too much attention'. She would so ignore them if she could and that thought made her ankles itch again.

There was a knock on her door and she groaned internally, ignoring it. She was still concentrated on her mission to question the noisy entities invading her center at this exact moment. Another knock, this time frantic, desperate almost.

"Go away." She told the being who insisted on interrupting her.

"Hikari." Isamu's voice came from the other side of the panel. He seemed pissed. She sighed.

"Isamu, I'm busy-" the panel slammed open anyway and she snapped her eyes open to glare at him. Isamu's scowl lightened a bit as he cocked an eyebrow to the demi-god floating in front of him.

"I could have been naked! Don't barge in like that." She said to him with irritation.

"With how much you've done this to me, I have my rights. What I came to talk about cannot wait." Hikari groaned dramatically and uncrossed her legs mid-air to descend and touch the ground with her jewelled feet. _How could someone so elegant be so much trouble?_ Isamu questioned himself mentally.

"So?" She hurried him.

"There's a white dragon on the courtyard." He told her and she furrowed her brows in thought a bit. Could he be meaning _her_ white dragon? When did she summon him?

"Well… If it's a Chinese dragon, that may be Bai. He's my 'pet' so to speak, harmless really. What of him?"

"I couldn't care less for the dragon, it is its rider that makes me want to _strangle_ you." He told her in a dark tone and Hikari raised a brow to him.

"Who did he fetch for me?" Hikari genuinely didn't remember. She made a mental note not to drink half of the palace's sake next time she attended something.

"Why do I not believe you don't know?" He asked with irritation.

"I don't, I swear! I can't remember much after Kagome said something like ' _your_ grandpups my _ass_ ' or whatever." She told him, her voice raising a pitch and in a perfect imitation of the Miko's voice. He had to inhale deeply and exhale slowly not to scream at her face.

"Your pet 'fetched' the _Lady_ of the _fricking West_." He told her and Hikari tilted her head at him. She found a way to break the news to him.

"But Kagome is the Western Lady." She told him and Isamu furrowed his brows in confusion before he began to pale drastically. Hikari snorted. "Oh, you can't be serious! How can you not feel the ridiculous amount of power those two now hold?! I thought better of you, Isamu." She told him, clicking her tongue afterwards. It took him a second to speak again.

"Hikari. What have you done?" He asked her with wide eyes and she smirked at him.

"I gave them a drunken nudge towards the right direction." She said swinging her hips to the right, her smirk upgrading to a grin. Isamu exhaled in exasperation as he brushed his bangs back. This woman had no limits!

"Have you ever considered that maybe Kagome wasn't ready? She is _human,_ Hikari! She doesn't think like us, everything for her means much, much more because of her short lifespan! They've been together for a _less_ than a _week!_ " He said desperately. Hikari sighed, cursing herself for what she was, and walked up to him to put a hand on his shoulder.

"You didn't see them yesterday. I wouldn't have done it if those two weren't meant to be. Kagome loves him and he was just waiting for her consent. I've never seen a couple complement each other so much. Trust me, Isamu, nothing I do is without reason." She tried soothing, knowing full well it wouldn't do much to ease his nerves. They didn't take her seriously, not that she would blame them. That was the point of her behaviour anyways.

"Now, you were talking about the _former_ Western Lady, yes?" Isamu tensed, being reminded why he was there. He nodded and watched, weirded out, as Hikari began focusing her gaze onto nothing in particular, holding her breath with her cheeks reddening by the second, her expression screaming concentration. A solid minute passed before Isamu decided to talk, only to be startled by her sharp exhale once he opened his mouth.

"Damn! I remember I called her over, but I don't recall if I mentioned you or not." She said, her brows furrowing with mild frustration, her finger on her chin in thought. Isamu rolled his golden eyes at her. He could _not_ believe that she didn't act like a child on purpose. She looked at his defeated expression and was about to say something when a familiar pain shot through her body.

Isamu caught Hikari as she suddenly stumbled forward, holding her against his chest, feeling her tremble and grit her teeth in a pained expression. He furrowed his brows in confusion and giving a quick look around, he searched for something or someone who would've hurt her, but they were alone. He could smell burnt flesh and scanned her body with his eyes. Isamu saw the ankle bracelets shining white hot and burning her skin, dread taking over his features when he noticed the burn _spreading_. It bubbled her skin, leaving it painfully deformed and red. He was about to reach for them when she held his wrist with force.

"D-don't…" Was all that came out. He looked at her in the eyes as she squinted them in pain, the pink hues getting darker and darker. Isamu's eyes widened and he tightened his grip around her. She was using her power to withstand the pain. And suddenly, as fast as it came, it disappeared. Hikari gasped, still holding onto Isamu's kimono for support as he watched the burnt skin heal. She panted for a bit, a sweat droplet running down her temple, before letting go of him and straightening herself, breathing in deeply.

" _Impatient_ little assholes, aren't they." She whispered to herself once she exhaled. Her eyes returned to normal as she looked at Isamu again, concern and confusion crystal clear in his face. "I'm fine, don't worry about it. Also, thank you for that, I usually fall on my face when it happens. If you want to, you can stay, but I have something I need to do _right now_. You interrupted our little divine meeting and they weren't too pleased with that. Don't worry about Inukimi, stay out of sight and I'll arrange everything so nothing gets out of hand." She said, returning to her meditation pose midair. Isamu silently sat in front of her, he didn't know what to think, Hikari was speaking directly with the Gods. He had one question painfully scratching his mind though, he couldn't wait.

"What are _those_?" He asked, looking at what he once thought was jewellery. Hikari gave him a sour smirk.

"It's my leash." She told him and his brows furrowed. "What, you thought the Gods would rut and leave their powerful offspring free to cause wreck upon the world?" She asked him and he tilted his head.

"Honestly?" She cocked a brow at him. "Yeah, I did." He told her, implying that she just described her behaviour. She snorted at him.

"Ignorance sure is bliss." She said and closed her eyes again, inhaling deeply and blocking everything out. Now they'd hear it, patience was something that should come with the whole 'being a God' shit, wasn't it? They could've given her five more minutes.

* * *

 **Western Palace - 9 A.M.**

It was the middle of the morning when Kagome slowly stirred out of sleep, feeling good for some odd reason. Shouldn't she be having a major hangover right now? Welp, she ain't complaining, maybe she sweated the alcohol away last night. That thought brought a blush to her cheeks. She yawned silently and felt something poke her lip when she closed her mouth. Her eyes shot open to see she was cuddled up to Sesshomaru, nested against his chest. Her brows furrowed and she licked her lip. It was bleeding. _What the ...?_ She sucked on it and looked up to see Sesshomaru observing her, his hooded eyes widening slightly. She momentarily forgot about the mysterious poke and smiled to him.

"Good morning." She told him.

He pulled her closer and bent to lick from her neck up to her ear, where he nibbled at the tip, making her giggle. He smirked and moved to heal her poked lip and get a taste of her exquisite blood, turning it into a tender kiss. Kagome ran her hand through his hair, bringing it back down to his cheek afterwards, slightly pulling him closer. When they separated, her eyes locked onto his before she noticed something off. She looked at her thumb. At her _clawed_ thumb.

Her eyes widened and she shot up, sitting straight on the futon. He sat up as well, calm as he observed her intently. Kagome brought her hands to eye level, palms forward, and looked with fascination at them. There were delicate claws at the end of her slender fingers and a subtle white stripe could be seen from her arms to her wrist.

She thought about the poke on her lip and felt her teeth with her tongue, sharp fangs scraped it. She scrambled up from the bed and went to the mirror close to the wardrobe. She didn't even notice Sesshomaru's naked figure walk to stand behind her and nuzzle her hair, his claws sliding up and down her arms. Kagome's eyes were solely on herself.

Her pupils were now rimmed with gold, the color leaked outwards a bit, forming subtle stripes that mixed with her usual blue hues. From afar, it looked like a non-uniform gradient from gold to green and then deep blue. Her features were accentuated by familiar stripes on her cheeks, although they weren't a burgundy colour, but white, subtly showing against her fair skin. The same applied to her body. _I have a path to happiness now too._ She chuckled at the thought and then grinned to the mirror, seeing a fanged smile and noticing that her lips were a soft scarlet hue instead of pink. She looked curvier too, maybe even a bit taller? The only thing Kagome could think was that she looked like a demoness.

She looked at Sesshomaru's reflection, he was looking at her through the mirror, his nose buried in her raven locks close to her ear. She could see the expectation in his eyes, waiting for her reaction towards the changes he brought to her.

Sesshomaru didn't know what to expect. He had never seen such a change happen because of a mating before. It was probably due to the fact that his youki was changing her physically in order to match their longevity. He had to refrain a couple of times from waking her up either to make her watch or to simply to bury himself into her again, she was just... _gorgeous_.

And her _eyes._ When she looked up at him, his heart skipped a beat at the sight and he fell in love with her all over again. Yep, he had accepted at some point during the early morning. There was no other explanation why he acted the way he did around her, never once in his life he looked at someone the way he looked at Kagome. And being quite sincere? He couldn't remember a time he was this satisfied with his choices, therefore he had no problem admitting his feelings for her. To himself at least… out loud was a whole other story.

Her aura was somewhat different as well, it seemed it was becoming easier to control. Perhaps because he infused so much of his youki into Kagome, her control seemed to falter less when she was distracted. Even asleep she'd pull it back to her… or perhaps it was just behaving, he didn't know. It was interesting though, Yukimi seemed to be wrong. Kagome moved him out of his thoughts as she brought her hand up to caress his silky hair.

"Couldn't you share this silvery goodness too?" She joked bringing some strands forward and he chuckled against her hair. Leave it to his little miko to ease him with one sentence. He raised his head and gently turned her own with a clawed hand, removing her hair out of the way with the other so she could see the mark on her neck.

Kagome idly registered her now pointed ears as she looked at her mating mark. The bite now had in its center a deep blue crescent moon rimmed with a shimmering silver colour. It was beautiful and the sight of it left a strange feeling in Kagome's chest. She was beaming at him through the mirror, touching the mark and feeling the soft texture, power caressing her fingers through it.

Kagome then turned to him. She motioned for him to come closer and he leaned towards her, tilting his head for her to see his mark. He himself hadn't seen it yet. She looked at his neck while moving the 'silvery goodness' out of the way. Her bite mark could be faintly seen upon his ivory skin, and in the center there were four thin petals in a plus sign formation, their ends never touching. They were white with pink shimmery rims, very subtle compared to hers. Kagome recognised it as the Shikon no Tama mark, Midoriko's mark. She touched it, and the same power on her mark could be felt in his. Kagome's brows furrowed.

 _Why would it be Midoriko's mark? I know I'm the Shikon no Miko but that right there is just… wrong. It's as if I'm defined by the jewel. This means something, we need to talk to Yukimi… maybe even Hikari._

Sesshomaru interrupted her thoughts as he straightened again, seeing Kagome look at him with worry on her eyes. "What is it?" He asked her and she bit her lip. She didn't want to tell him she thought something was wrong with the mating, but she wouldn't lie.

"Your mark... I recognize it as Midoriko's mark." She told him and he turned his head to look at it on the mirror. His brows furrowed. "What do you think it means? I wouldn't know what _my_ mark would look like."

"We'll have to ask Yukimi, because I've got no fucking idea." He told her sincerely and she snorted at the curse word. It reminded her of the drunk Sesshomaru. He looked down at her with an eyebrow raised but she just shook her head lightly and rested her cheek against his chest, her arms wrapping around him as she let out a sigh.

"I wonder why nothing can be just _normal_ with me…" She said, looking at the mess of furs and sheets that was their futon with a defeated expression. He brushed her hair with his fingers, ridding it of a few tangles while deep in thought.

"If that was the case, you wouldn't be here with me." He concluded out loud and she looked up at him, a fanged smile forming on her rosy lips.

"True enough." she said before standing on her tiptoes and kissing him, her hands moving to his cheek and neck. He suddenly pulled her legs around his waist, making her squeak and lace her arms around his neck. He then proceeded to take her mind fully off of the issue with a session of good morning sex.

* * *

 **Western Palace - 9h45 A.M.**

The mood on the palace was that of tranquillity. It seemed everyone had a good night, even those who woke up hungover. Takeshi was one of those. He had started the training session an hour later due to the fact that he was wasted last night. That Hikari person was one hell of a party animal. He recalled very little after the Lord's sorceress left the dining room, and he didn't really mind. He didn't have this much fun in a while.

The soldiers were relatively calm and he settled into personally training them with pauses to orientate now and then. Since the duel the day before he already noticed a few soldiers had become a bit too cocky around him. He used the opportunity to put them back in their place.

He was submitting a particularly irritating male when something above him caught his attention. He looked up to see a white dragon heading towards the stables. He heard the Inu under him submit and let him go, telling his soldiers to keep on training as he headed to the stables. He hadn't seen a Chinese dragon since he was a pup, but that wasn't what called his attention the most. It was the female Inu riding it, her presence would never go unnoticed by the Western palace residents. If things weren't already interesting before, they would definitely be now.

He reached the stables just in time to see Inukimi dismounting the white dragon. Takeshi had to stop to admire the beast, it was just… beautiful. Its long body was a pure white, the sun reflected a soft peach hue on its scales and mane. Its eyes were a vibrant red and its horns and paws were adorned with jewelled bracelets. It was… strangely familiar. He watched Inukimi call for a servant and a young bird demon approached, bowing to the female Inu.

"Bring Namagashi for Bai, enough for two tea ceremonies. And fresh fruit, the sweeter the better." At that the huge dragon purred loudly, the bird demon bowed and ran towards the kitchen and Inukimi turned to walk toward Takeshi.

"Lady Inukimi." He bowed deeply.

"Takeshi. Is it true that my son is declaring war against the North?" She asked him in a cold tone, Takeshi stood upright before speaking.

"Not yet, my Lady. We wait for an answer from the northern Lord." He explained and she cocked a brow.

"Answer? Maybe there's still time to stop this foolishness." She whispered to herself. "Did he tell you why he is threatening the North?" She asked out loud and Takeshi nodded once and answered.

"They attempted to kidnap his ward. We have two soldiers bringing a captive spy as we speak. They should arrive today at noon." He told her and Inukimi looked up, checking the position of the sun. Just a couple more hours and she'd get some answers, since she knew damn well her son would be stubborn and not explain anything to her. And he calls himself a Lord, letting a human child's well being dictate his political actions. Gods, what has the world come to?

"Where is Hikari?" She asked Takeshi suddenly, making the Inu shoot his eyebrows up.

"In her chambers, I believe, at the eastern wing of the palace." He told her and she furrowed her brows.

"Those chambers are for Lords and honour guests. Why would _Hikari_ of all people be placed there?" She asked the general, sincerely confused on why they would put an unknown demoness in such a regarded area. She was her friend, yes, but she wasn't from any royal lineage.

In fact, Inukimi herself didn't know much about her, Hikari just popped up into her life one day, bothered her for a good while, and then disappeared again. Takeshi furrowed his brows in confusion, did the Lady not know what Hikari was? He was about to tell her, but thought better about it and decided he'd let his Lord deliver the surprising news. Something in the back of his mind told him this would be a reaction he didn't want to witness firsthand.

"You would have to ask the western Lord, milady." He said simply and she scoffed lightly before walking towards the castle. Many demons bowed as she walked past them, and for the first time she noticed something different about the place. Everyone was so… relaxed. Weren't they on the verge of war? She began walking faster, something was fishy about this situation and she would be damned if she didn't beat the information out of her pup.

Inukimi had climbed the first step when grunts were heard at the gates. She turned, mildly interested, to see a demon knocking a third guard unconscious before running in full speed towards the elevated entrance to her right. He jumped to reach the balcony and she narrowed her golden eyes at him. Summoning her whip, a sickly green a shade lighter than her son's, she wrapped it around the wolfs ankle and wrenched him towards her, grabbing him by the throat. Her mokomoko slithering around him to keep him still as he thrashed against her restraints.

"Tell me, Wolf Prince. What goes through one's mind to invade a cardinal palace in the manner you just did?" She asked him, mildly amused. _Silly wolf,_ she thought. His bright blue eyes narrowed at her.

"Your son's sick fetishes." Kouga said with a sneer.

* * *

 **Oh, my God, you guys! The reviews! You have no idea how much they give me the motivation to just keep writing.**

 **Seriously, it took me so much longer to write this chapter cause there was some game-changing shit going on and I needed to make sure things would make sense. The plot got much more complicated than I anticipated...**

 **Aaaanyway, I hope you guys enjoyed!  
** **Next chapter will take a bit to publish too, I hope you guys don't mind.  
I just want to make sure I give my best.**


	17. Don't lose hope

**Ok so here's a warning... this chapter is dark. Like, incestuous shit dark.**

 **I've put a heads up for when the dark part ends.**

* * *

Izayoi cried silently in the empty and poorly lit room, her small and sedentary body against a corner as she hugged her knees, her kimono tore and filthy. She could see everything perfectly within her confinement, it's been years since she last saw daylight with these eyes. But either way, it's not like there was much to see. The only objects there were a very used futon and a chamber-pot. Her room was small with no windows, dimly illuminated by two candles, with stone walls and ceiling covered in symbols. She had memorized every single symbol by now, every curve, every corner, every splotch of 'ink'. At least that's what she convinced herself it was.

She felt her eyelids becoming too heavy and two synchronized slaps resonated within the room. The all too familiar sting of pain assaulted her cheeks as she removed her hands from them, hugging her knees again. She couldn't fall asleep, she wasn't ready. And as if the Gods had noticed her dread and decided to punish her, Izayoi felt a familiar pull within her. An audible sob escaped her mouth. _Please Inuyasha, let her sleep, let her sleep, let her sleep-_ She begged her son over and over, burying her face on her knees as she held them so tight it hurt. He seemed to oblige, the sensation was suddenly gone and she was still in the dark room. She felt relieved for a brief second before exhaustion crept over her again.

Izayoi was tired, she was tired in every way possible. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay awake for much longer, meaning that soon she'd be back in Edo. That is if she wasn't forcefully pulled over there right now, like it almost happened. The young hime didn't know if she could do it anymore, just the thought of being in the miko's body knowing what she was to her son… it made her body convulse with revulsion towards herself. How could she let this happen? More tears poured down her face at the reminder of the nightmare that's been her unwanted life so far.

Izayoi had been brought back to a living body over three years ago. She woke up nude, confused and in chains and the first thing she saw was Zhihao, who had just finished chanting and was looking at her with a sadistic grin on his face. She was on a wooden floor in the middle of a blood drawn runed circle, a corpse by her side. She screamed when she saw the girl, but took notice that she resembled herself quite a bit. It didn't take long for the princess to make the association. This man hunted her reincarnation down just to bring her back as the long-deceased hime.

And so, her nightmare began. Izayoi was handed over to two neko daiyokais, who she would only learn were the Northern Lord and his sister much later, with the order to 'get her to work'. The whole time being blindfolded and bluntly ignored, she was taken into that small room that she knew had to be underground. There was no sound, the walls were cold and she walked a whole lot of steps down. There was a young woman sitting on the futon in the middle of the room with an empty look in her brown eyes. Izayoi looked at the woman and knew something was amiss. She didn't react to anything, just stared into nothing, like a living shell without consciousness. And then the twins instructed her on what she was to do, making Izayoi enter a spiral of anger and desperation.

It took them a week to be able to make her cooperate, it didn't matter how much they would hurt her, she refused to do something so sick. That's when Zhihao made his first visit and decided to take the decision off of her hands. She either did it or they'd be killing everyone in Inuyasha's village.

She protested still, knowing her boy was perfectly capable of protecting himself, but the monster just laughed at her face and took her to the abandoned fortress to introduce her to his 'friend'. She didn't see anything other than its white eyes in the darkness, but its aura alone painfully subdued her to the ground and the two daiyoukais to their knees.

That finally scared the hime and she begrudgingly did as told, learning how to switch bodies through Zhihao's spell. They had already switched her sleeping schedule, making her sleep during the day and after three months, she was able to master the spell. When she did, her original body felt strangely drained and it became automatic to switch bodies once asleep. She would also switch whenever someone perturbed Kykiou's body as it rested.

The first time Izayoi had successfully taken control of Kikyou's body, she got access to all of the miko's memories. Her heart broke for her son; he had lost himself and suffered through all of that and they were sick enough to further play with his heart for personal gain.

They then moved the resurrected vessel to Edo and Izayoi found herself in hell. She tried telling Inuyasha about what was happening the first time she saw him, only to find out she was physically incapable to do so. The same happening with running away from the village.

She could feel the beast's threat looming thick over her and she tried her best to act as the miko, trying to figure out her personality through her memories. She took advantage of Kykiou's past as a pure miko and used it to stall as much as she could.

The twins had instructed her not to engage in combat, her lack of spiritual powers would be a giveaway that something was off. More so than her absolute random reappearance, something Inuyasha had seen as a blessing from Kami. The twins would help by sending spies to secretly clear the surrounding area of the village, that way there weren't any threats to react to.

Izayoi wouldn't stop trying to think of ways to rid herself of this situation. Problem was, she couldn't think of one that wouldn't end up with Inuyasha broken or dead. She couldn't warn him of what was to come, and even if she did, would he be able to defeat that beast? She wasn't sure, she couldn't risk it. He seemed so happy with his friends and her there.

But as time went by, Inuyasha began growing restless, wanting to mate her. The pressure to lay with him increasing with each day and Izayoi was beginning to be cornered further in her situation, hopelessness beginning to get the best of her. The hime didn't know what her captors wanted, but if she gave in and they were to reveal to him who she truly was after the puppet was pregnant, Inuyasha would probably break. In her desperation, she couldn't see any other way out.

So she tried killing herself in Kikyou's body. However, it was but a fruitless effort. She could barely begin the action and her body would refuse to move until she gave up. She even thought of starving herself, but when her hunger got to a certain point, her body would freeze and she would feel unbearable pain until she changed her mind and moved solely with the intention to eat.

Zhihao, who could watch her and did so occasionally, decided to explain to the hime about his 'commands'. They were simple: keep quiet, survive, stay in the village and report what's happened to the twins when asked.

Being the entity that created their bodies, he took the liberty to implement some 'strings' on them for him to manipulate. Izayoi had never questioned why he wouldn't command her to do what was asked of her, she wasn't giving him any ideas. She did ask why he was making _her_ do it though, and the answer she got boiled her blood in outrage.

"Because, my dear, it is _fascinating_ to witness one break in the manner you soon will. Seeing your hopeless resistance crumble little by little, how you'll lose yourself as you rut with your own son. It is quite interesting to watch." He had told her with a sadistic smirk upon his lips. She was his little experiment, his entertainment while he worked to get whatever he wanted. The only true consolation for her was that she knew he wasn't always watching, she could feel it when he was. She also noticed he would watch her when she was most distressed, so trying to keep calm became a need.

From then on, Izayoi's true test of endurance had begun. She was tortured in her own body at every wasted chance to impregnate the puppet. She let Inuyasha mate it six months after she appeared, but had stopped him from consummating the act, much to his confusion and displeasure. Seeing her son so disgruntled, confused and hurt killed her every day.

How she wanted to scream telling him of what was happening. She would try to comfort him the best she could, all the while telling him she was not ready. She would let him kiss and touch her and those actions alone would take a huge toll on the hime, but her resolve never faltered. She closed her eyes and imagine it was Toga instead of Inuyasha. Easier said than done.

She never let him engage the full act. It would be too much and it didn't matter how much they punished her, the punishment that came with the action was worse than anything they could do to her. The physical torture was cruel, she had scars all over her own body, but they could only hurt her when she was in there and when in Kykiou's body, she was 'safe'. And so she focused on that. However, it was a whole other story with her mental health.

Izayoi began to lose herself as the months passed, her personality began splitting and at times she would truly believe she was the miko instead of herself. Having two sets of memories, the hime would more and more often see her own memories as unfamiliar as the miko's once were. She began believing her act wasn't an act at all while living as Kikyou. When that began to happen, the physical torture ceased completely and they isolated her fully. Her brain had now two gears in which it operated: prisoner Izayoi and free Kykiou. And Izayoi's was being less and less used with time.

When the miko Kagome returned from the future, she felt a mixture of hope and anger boil inside of her. The part of Izayoi that still knew who she truly was thought that maybe Kagome could take Inuyasha away from the puppet, make everyone question once again why she was there out of nowhere.

But as soon as the young miko saw her mating mark, she broke. She didn't leave the village but would avoid both her and Inuyasha at all costs, spending most of the day away, training with Kaede or Miroku. She only really came out of her numb state when her kit and friends were around her.

Izayoi felt her already broken heart shatter further. The girl was sweet and kind, she could see how much it hurt her to not be with her son and that applied to him too. He felt so guilty that his advances towards Izayoi actually stopped for a while.

The hime just didn't know what to do anymore, what she could do was rendered impossible by the monster's commands and it was getting harder and harder to keep her sanity in check. She would have relapses when she returned to her body, desperate tries on her mind's part to remain within reality.

But being always the unchanging darkness, silence and solitude, it was hard not to see it as a bad dream she had to wait out. They'd bring her a generous meal every late evening and about once every two weeks ask for a quick report, but that was the most interaction she got, which was almost none from the twins.

The worst part for her was the waiting. She would pace around the room, talk to herself, sing, study the symbols on the walls, remain lost in thought about her day… anything to make time go faster for her to move to her 'free' body.

Another year later, she crumbled to the point where she was fully convinced she was Kykiou. She told Inuyasha she wanted to consummate the mating, but he was hesitant because of her previous refusal. She felt a weird sense of relief with that, so she didn't push him. Inuyasha didn't delay too much though, seeing as she had truly accepted it and he had waited long enough. After the act, Izayoi fell asleep beside him and when she woke up in her own body, back at the small room, she snapped. Her motherly instincts kicking in, one last try to wake her up to a reality her confused mind refused to grasp.

When Yuuko brought her food that night, she almost screamed when she found Zhihao watching the hime through the slit the metal door had. He had a grin plastered onto his face and motioned for her to enter the room to deliver the woman her food as he remained out of view, silently observing. Yuuko couldn't help but feel pity for her, the human had finally broken. Izayoi was crying in a corner, rocking back and forth while holding her knees, chanting the mantra "I am Kikyou, this is a dream." over and over.

If the hime thought anything else, the fact that she laid with her own son would come rushing towards her and that couldn't be true, it just couldn't! And for her, it wouldn't be. She was never Izayoi, she had always been Kikyou. She was cursed by nightmares, that's all.

From then on Izayoi went into a catatonic estate when back in her own body, either staring at nothing or repeating to herself who she thought she was. When that wasn't enough, she would turn to telling herself stories from Kykiou's memories like a lunatic, a way to pass time until she could 'wake up' once again. Forcing sleep didn't work, her body was always over-rested and it was impossible to truly switch unless pulled.

Time went by with her spending her days living as the happily mated Kikyou, going through her 'nightmares' the best way she could, all the while denying who she truly was. Inuyasha, for some reason unknown to her, only pupped her almost a year after the consummation.

When Kagome returned from the temple, Izayoi began acting strange as Kikyou, spying on people, listening in on conversations. She didn't know what was causing her to do that, but she was powerless to stop it and couldn't tell anyone. And then, when that _despicable demon_ attacked Inuyasha, she saw red and went straight for the cause of it. The old hatred that Kikyou felt for Kagome boiled in her blood and against instructions, she released the first arrow since she began controlling that body. It was infused with Reiki, as were those that followed. Izayoi, believing she was Kikyou, didn't think much of it, she was a miko after all.

But then Kagome left for the western palace and a few days later her usual nightmare changed drastically: she was brought back to the fortress. Reality hit her like a train and she spiralled right back into despair. She retched everything she had eaten as soon as she felt the clear air of the night on her face. It took everything she got to not lose it again, her mind wanting to go back to denial, wanting relief from her cruel reality. But she didn't let it.

She saw the tiniest string of hope and grabbed onto that with all her might. The infused arrows. Izayoi wasn't a priestess… she knew every human had different quantities of Reiki within them, but it took a lot of training to access it. The arrows she shot were _fully_ infused, they could have purified a powerful demon had any of them hit it. Zhihao and his pets had slipped. There was something more to this marionette that she was overlooking. That _everyone_ was overlooking. And Izayoi would find out what it was.

Back in the present, about two hours passed before the hime couldn't fight sleep anymore and subdued to it. Being once again fully aware that she was a puppeteer and trying to keep that thought clear on her mind _,_ she pulled on the marionette's strings, making the young miko lightly stir on the futon. She felt her son's presence by her side, he was laying on his side facing the doorway, his back to her.

She slowly opened her eyes, not bothering to focus her gaze onto anything. And there she remained, unmoving, waiting. She glanced at Inuyasha's silver mane, the sight bringing memories of nights with her son forward and she had to concentrate not to retch again for being so engrossed with herself. _No. I must look past it. I need to figure out where this reiki came from._ She convinced her perturbed mind.

The sun had yet to rise and all that could be heard was the late spring breeze shuffling the tree's leaves. The puppeteer relished those little things, knowing full well that too soon all she would see was a cramped room in an unbearable silence. In a way, Kikyou was her only window to the world. She felt Inuyasha move beside her and she tensed, feeling his erection against her thigh as he turned. She knew what could happen and she wouldn't be able to handle it.

 _Please, Inuyasha. Not yet, I'm not ready!_ Izayoi thought desperately. But she wasn't a telepath and all she could do was turn to the Hanyou pulling her closer and try to ignore his hard member pressing against her tresses. She looked at his golden eyes, the ones that reminded her of his father so much, as they stared back in a sleepy daze.

"'Morning." He told her in a husky voice and she forced a sweet smile on her face.

"Good morning, Inu." She told him, reaching out and scratching behind his ear. She knew he loved that since he was a child. He closed his eyes and she heard the familiar purr resonate from his chest, making her smile a bit more genuine. She could almost hear the scoff towards her thought.

" _It is not a purr, Hime. It is a low growl one uses to indicate they are pleased."_ Toga's voice rang from a memory long buried, bringing tears to the marionette's eyes as the puppeteer lost control of her emotions. She cursed herself for being so weak, but it couldn't be helped. She was finally back in control of her mind and that hurt her in ways she didn't know were possible. Inuyasha smelled salt and opened his eyes again, this time more alert as his brows furrowed.

"Kikyou, you ok?" He asked, reaching out and cleaning the tears that rolled down her temple with his thumb. She nodded at him but let out a strangled sob, not being able to contain the tears that continued rolling. His brows furrowed further and he pulled her to his chest, tenderly caressing her hair.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked her softly, he wasn't good at comforting people. She didn't answer though, she couldn't, so she just shook her head. He remained silent, tightening his embrace on her. _Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones,_ he thought. Kagome had explained to him that Kikyou's mood would suffer because of the pregnancy, probably faster than Sango's.

The hime continued to cry in her son's arms. She would let herself cry some of the oppressing weight away and then she'd find out a way to get information. Once calm, she kept her eyes closed and concentrated to feel if Zhihao was watching her. He wasn't, he hadn't been too keen into accompanying her life once she got pregnant, even less after Kagome left for the second time. What she needed to do was done and Izayoi had broken months ago. She looked up again.

"Inuyasha, would you do something for me?" She asked him.

"Heh. Do you even need to ask?" He told her with a relieved smirk.

 **-End of darkness-**

* * *

 **Western Palace**

Kouga was already panting from the effort to get free from his fluffy prison. He had barged in a rage trying to find Kagome, alone since his uncle refused to help him retrieve the miko, saying it was none of their business.

He was called to take the place as an heir to the East by his uncle, whose only child was a female and his mate had become barren after her birth. The Eastern advisors were baffled when Kouga showed up in their doorstep like a wild wolf, which was an accurate description. They proceeded to teach him everything to do with etiquette and royal customs.

He was quite difficult to 'educate', as they called it, although to him it felt more like taming. Unlike her mate, Ayame was a natural Lady, learning quickly the rules and mannerisms that came with the future job. She helped Kouga quite a bit and he was thankful for her presence. Kouga had more than accepted her at this point, he truly loved her. She was a fiery demoness, strong, full of attitude and not to mention beautiful. He hadn't pupped her yet by his uncle's request, he wanted the pup to be born a true heir.

Everything was boringly normal up until a raven arrived with a letter for him. It was Kikyou's and he knew that because it had a strand of hair from her and one from Inuyasha tied to it. The letter told him about Kagome's return and new powers, and how Sesshomaru had forcefully taken her for himself to make her his mistress and slave, beating Inuyasha to a pulp in the process. Kouga had tilted his head to that, didn't Sesshomaru felt disgusted by humans?

The letter explained her powers in detail and he understood. Kagome had something rare, and having pups with that power in them would be quite useful. Kouga, quite perturbed but still skeptical, secretly sent his fastest spy to the Western palace and they returned confirming that Sesshomaru had indeed a human 'lover'. Kouga saw red. When his uncle refused to help, he stormed out on his own, running as fast as his beast form let him. Ayame would be pissed but he would be damned if he left Kagome to fend for herself. That useless Inuyasha! And now he was trapped in the fluff of the Western Lady's mokomoko.

"Calm yourself, pup. I'll release you once my son is here." Kouga's eyes narrowed at her in suspicion but before he could see anything, the baritone voice came from the balcony.

"That would be wise." They looked up to see Sesshomaru staring at them with an indifferent expression.

"Impecable timing as always, Sesshomaru." She said as she released Kouga from her pelt. When Kouga straightened himself Kagome reached the balcony. She was a mess: dishevelled damp hair, cuts on her face and arms as well as reddening flesh could be seen from her revealing outfit.

"What the hell did you do to Kagome you _sick fuck_?!" He bellowed to the demon lord as his beast thrashed, trying to gain control.

* * *

 **A bit earlier**

Kagome was in the springs, letting her sore body relax and taking the time to try and read her new power. She couldn't wait to meditate to release the fissure and see what her center looked like now, she had a feeling it'd be different. Sesshomaru had left a few minutes ago and was changing in his room. _Our room_. She inhaled deeply when she thought of him. _Mated … we are mated_. She thought, analyzing what feelings that piece of information brought to her. She felt happy, anxious and there was now a feeling of satisfying possessiveness she never thought she'd have towards someone. Sesshomaru was hers. She licked her fangs, they were literally itching to bite his mark at that thought.

When she woke up, she was mesmerized by her changes. She's changed a lot in seven years but this surpassed everything. Even her power had become something else, and she felt it in Sesshomaru as well, they were now one of the same. He also seemed a lot looser when around her, swearing about and everything. She smiled at the thought that Sesshomaru was centuries old but was still pretty much a twenty-year-old guy in human years. She was technically older than him, being on her late twenties. She chuckled at the thought, then looked into the steaming water, her blue and golden eyes wobbly staring back at her.

Everything had moved so fast and she was feeling quite anxious about that. What if he regretted it? _He won't_. A tiny voice spoke in the back of her mind, the possessive feeling reassuring her that he would never leave her. Images from this morning and last night rushed into her mind, followed by all the sweet gestures he's done for her so far, making her smile.

He went from wanting to know who she was, to trying to kill her, to teasing her (she chuckled at how that backfired horribly), to helping her, then courting her and now, just like that, she was his mate. _Holy. Shit_. Kagome thought, letting herself sink into the water completely as everything that has happened truly sinked in. A warm feeling spread throughout her body, and it wasn't the water.

Kagome's been depressed for years now, she went back to the village mostly to try and cheer up as she figured out how to fix her broken aura. When she first saw him, it was a mix of dread and delight for some reason. She'd obviously found him attractive, but there was always something about him that enticed her curiosity. As if he was this wandering mystery that kept everything but strength concealed away, and in a way she wasn't wrong. How delightful it was to see the loving gentleman Sesshomaru truly was when alone with her.

She didn't mind the coldness when they were in public, she knew him well enough to see it was to keep his image intact. She actually intended to play her part as the Lady of the West accordingly. Demons were fierce and respected strength and honour, and she'd be damned if she would give her mate a bad image for choosing her. Hell nah, she'd be respected as much as Sesshomaru was, and she'd achieve that in her own way. She was already halfway there with her duels the day before.

Kagome resurfaced, moving to walk out of the water with a content sigh. For the first time in many years, she felt happy. She felt her tears mingle with the spring's water, making her smile. It was almost scary how happy she felt with all of this, like the blissful calm before a storm.

She dried and robed herself, returning to the room to find Sesshomaru almost ready, only his boots missing from his usual outfit. Sesshomaru looked at her. He could feel her happiness but there was an unease to her, their new bond had yet to mature to the point they could share thoughts and he was almost sure Kagome didn't quite notice it yet. It's been less than half a day after all. The look in his eyes made her unease disappear as she beamed at him, before forming a pout.

"You dress too fast!" She said, hurrying to her backpack and shuffling through it to find underwear and her old training clothes. She intended on playing with Sesshomaru today, after they talked to Yukimi. Her whole body heated up at the thought.

"It is you who takes too long to bathe." He retorted with a smirk as he returned to his task on putting on his boots.

"You say that 'cause it ain't you who's sore." She mumbled low to herself with a small huff. His snicker made her turn to look, eyes wide for a second before she narrowed them. "I can't believe the first time I hear you laughing is because you are laughing _at me_." She said with an unwanted smile invading her features, his laugh was a husky sound and quite contagious.

He looked at her with a cocked brow and a side smirk. _He'll charm his way out of everything, won't he?_ She thought with affectionate outrage, turning to pick the clothes in her backpack. She chuckled to herself as she stood and put them on the bed. Sesshomaru looked at them with an eyebrow still raised, reaching for the white tank top and unfolding it while holding it front of himself.

"You are _not_ wearing this." He growled to her and Kagome turned to him after hooking her bra.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm putting something over it to go to Yukimi. I use those to train." She said, snatching the tank top from him and putting it on swiftly. She reached for her leggings.

"We have training outfits here, that is way too revealing." He told her, taking in every curve her tight outfit outlined for him and hating the idea of anyone else seeing them as well. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I'm more comfortable in these. It's going to be hot as hell when we start moving and I don't know about you, but I prefer to train without an audience." She told him, blushing at the thought of duelling with him, she had a few moves to leave him breathless. He watched her adjust the bottom rim of the top and head towards the wardrobe. These clothes were one of the few that survived her long years of training. He was about to protest again when a hostile aura made itself known, followed shortly by a second one which Kagome didn't recognize.

"Is that… Kouga?" She asked and saw Sesshomaru shove his right foot into the remaining boot and run out the door. He knew both these presences, and he had to stop whatever was going on or he would have two wars on his hands.

Kagome didn't think twice, she was hot on his heels, following barefooted. She didn't know what the hell Kouga was doing here but she knew that nothing good could come out of it, his aura was aggressive and worried. They were running so fast they reached the first curve in almost no time.

She heard Sesshomaru's boot squeak on the hardwood floor as he made the sharp turn and shot himself forward again. Kagome motioned to do the same, but the squeak came from her instead of a boot as she slid right past the curve and into the panel at the end of the corridor, a few meters forward.

She crashed through the wooden grid and paper, tripping and falling into something with an 'oof'. The something grunted too and Kagome looked up to see familiar golden eyes staring at her, wide in disbelief. She blinked once and stood up, jumping through the Kagome sized hole in the panel, ignoring the snickering Hikari on the background.

"Sorry, Isamu-san! Can't explain, gotta run!" She said loudly as she ran away, disappearing at the curve that she failed to make the first time. Isamu turned to Hikari with wide eyes.

"That was Kagome?" He asked in awe.

"Yep! See? You worry too much, you old dog." She said before returning to her once again interrupted meeting. Only to not be able to return to it.

"Hikari! She ran towards the courtyard!" Isamu said looking in the direction Kagome ran. Hikari furrowed her brows in confusion.

"So what?" She asked.

"Inukimi is there, you idiot!" He hissed as he stood up and turned to look at her. Hikari's eyes widened.

"Oh, fuck." She let slip before she recomposed and descended to stand up. _Godammit Hikari! How could you have forgotten?!_ She thought, promising herself she would definitely drink ¼ of a place's sake max on the next occasion. She looked at Isamu with those pink eyes of hers and he furrowed his brows to her. She wouldn't ask for _him_ to-

"You have to go there. You'll have to stop her!" Yep, she just did. Isamu's eyes widened.

" _What?!_ Have you lost the mind you don't even have, you old hag?! I'm not showing up in front of her! You go!" He growled at her, trying not to yell.

"If I don't finish this stupid meeting they'll render me useless again... Please, Isamu! Inukimi won't fight for submission! I'll go after you as soon as they let me!" She said, desperate, as Isamu exhaled in exasperation and began pacing frantically. _Shit shit shit shit! What do I do?! Sesshomaru won't be able to interfere!_ His heart raced in his chest as he panicked and suddenly two slender porcelain hands lightly smacked his cheeks, making him stop to stare into pink eyes.

"Please. I know I screwed up but you are the only one that'll be able to stop Inukimi. Kagome will have to kill her if you don't." She told him and that made Isamu force some calm upon himself. He breathed in deeply, taking a few more moments to absorb the reality of what he was about to do, and nodded before shoving himself through the destroyed panel and walking towards the courtyard.

Kagome reached the balcony not long after Sesshomaru and saw as Kouga looked at her for two seconds before his eyes bled red.

"What the hell did you do to Kagome you _sick fuck_?!" He bellowed to her mate, who she turned to and saw glaring at her. Her wounds were already healing but _how_ was she able to get herself hurt in the ridiculously short amount of time they were apart?! A faint squeak and crashing sound replayed in the back of his mind.

"How?" He asked her simply, ignoring the frothing wolf trying to maintain control and his mother who was going up the stairs towards them.

"Slick wooden floors and inertia." She said sheepishly as she sent her aura to the wolf, who had begun running up the stairs. "I'm ok, Kouga!" She said loudly to him, who in turn stopped and blinked his eyes back to normal at the sudden calming sensation.

The couple didn't notice the female Inu reaching the end of the stairs and before anyone could do anything, there was a green flash and Kagome disappeared from view, destroying the handrail close to her. A grunt was heard and everyone turned to see Kagome falling to the ground, the stone pillar close to the gate cracking slightly. Everyone in the courtyard had already stopped to look at Inukimi and Kouga, but now a crowd was forming to watch what the ruckus was about.

"Fuck!" Kagome cursed low to herself as she stood and felt a searing pain course through her torso and broken ribs and an equally shattered arm. She looked at the demoness who had thrown her and she thought she was looking at a female Sesshomaru. She sniffed the poison in her torso, where her whip had enlaced her and recognized it. _His mother, huh? I can see where Sesshomaru gets his 'kill first, ask questions later' motto from._

Inukimi, for her part, was at a loss... that human should be dead! She looked at Sesshomaru, who was using every ounce of self-control not to put his mother in her place, his jaws were clenched as his beast growled loudly in his head. Damned pack rules.

Kouga, however, didn't hesitate to move. He ran towards Kagome, who was wincing and cursing under her breath as she put her arm bone back in place with a sickening crack.

"Shit! Are you ok… Kagome?" He asked, eyeing her closely. She was so different, was it even her?

"I'm fine Kouga, really. What are you doing here?" She asked softly as she rose a white barrier around them and inched away from him to make some distance between them. She could see Sesshomaru turning his current rage towards Kouga. Said wolf couldn't care less, however, the woman before him answered as Kagome and his nose told him it was her, so he would make sure she was ok.

"I received a letter from Inuyasha and Kikyou saying you were taken by Sesshomaru and that he had beaten Inuyasha to do so." He explained to her, tilting his head as he noticed the subtle white stripes on her cheeks and arms. Her damp and dishevelled hair covering her mating mark. You could hear Sesshomaru growl in the background.

"What? Why the hell would they send you such a letter?! No one took me against my will, Sesshomaru is my mate." She blushed, still getting used to the idea and wincing again as she felt if her ribs were in place to heal them. Kouga gaped at her.

" _Mate?!_ " He practically bellowed, grabbing everyone's attention and gathering more demons to watch the exchange. She blushed at the many pairs of eyes suddenly looking at her and nodded, earning gasps from the crowd. Kagome frowned. _Way to go, Kagome! Create respect by being caught off guard and in 'indecent' clothes while barefooted. After slipping and destroying a door._ She thought to herself with a silent sigh as she was reminded she had an image to maintain. And was already failing miserably.

Kouga was in shock, he just stared at her, reading every change he could see on her. Her scent, although with an added rainy forest smell, was definitely hers. He was absolutely right in thinking Kagome was a worthy mate, holy shit she was beautiful! And powerful, a hit like that would've killed a normal human. His focus changed when Inukimi spoke again as she approached, descending the stairs.

"Remove your barrier, girl. I haven't finished taking my rightful place as the Alpha Bitch of my son's pack. Which you so rudely took away from me without the proper challenge." She said, venom dripping from her words and claws. Kouga eyed the Inu demoness with a sneer on his face.

"A mother isn't the Alpha bitch of their offspring's pack. When strong enough, they become the Alpha of their own pack and then they choose their Alpha females." Inukimi smirked at that.

"Yes, but the only female on a pack will automatically become the alpha bitch and face challenges." She turned to look at Sesshomaru, who was glaring at her. If only looks could kill. "But my pup obviously has a soft spot for humans and little Rin became the first member of his ever solitary pack. Guess who he asked to be a passive Alpha Bitch for his little pet to be safe?" She asked with an amused tone.

He gave her all the means to rid him of unwanted mates, and how useful that gift came to be. She'd kill the human and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. A wicked smirk adorned her features as she looked back at Kagome, who was glaring at her. _Mother-in-law of the year._ Kagome thought bitterly.

"Toga truly froze your heart, didn't he, Inukimi?" Isamu's voice came from the balcony as he walked towards the stairs and stopped where Inukimi once was. The demoness froze.

Sesshomaru, who had jumped down the balcony and was walking towards Kagome, held a smirk back. Now he'd watch his mother rid the world of this vermin and Kagome would be able to prepare herself for the fight. Two birds with one stone. Kagome lowered her barrier and watched as all colour left Inukimi's face. The female Inu was in momentary shock before she closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and let it go slowly. As she turned Kagome narrowed her eyes in curiosity. Was that a blush on her cheeks?

"Isamu." She greeted him, her tone was soft and surprised. Sesshomaru, who promptly put himself between his mate and her wolf 'friend', stopped mid-motion as he began removing the outer layer of his kimono. He eyed his mother's back with narrowed eyes. He could smell so many emotions in her, the only negative one being regret.

Isamu, for his part, was in shock. Shouldn't she hate him? She should, definitely. His heart skipped a beat with hope, but he quickly squashed the feeling. Never again he would fool himself. He descended the stairs, looking past Inukimi, where Kagome was glaring at Sesshomaru who had thrown his outer kimono over her head, implying that she use it. Her face screamed 'how am I supposed to fight with this on?!' The Lord didn't see her expression, however, he was staring at his mother's back, his eyes narrowed as he tried to understand her reaction towards the former general.

"Don't you think it's a bit low of you to attack the Lady of the West while her guard is down?" He asked her, making more gasps emerge from the crowd, and her golden eyes hardened, narrowing at him.

"Her? Lady of the West? As if. A weak human such as her-" She was interrupted when a white whip wrapped her ankle, burning it, and she was thrown to the side, hitting a wall of the palace.

Kagome was seeing red, the newly found possessive feeling taking over her entire body. It didn't matter who or what Inukimi was. She just insulted her and deemed her unworthy of her current title, therefore, of her current _mate_. Inukimi was a clear threat. _No one is taking away what is **mine**_.

She walked towards the Inu gathering herself up with red seeping into her irises, aura flashing with anger. Kagome smirked.

"Please, do transform. I had much pleasure putting last Inu that dared to offend me in their place." She said with a calm voice, the promise of a fight Inukimi would regret clear in the air. Takeshi, who had come look what the fuss was about, looked away, at anything but Kagome.

Sesshomaru watched with pride swelling inside of him as his mate made her way to his mother, the confusion over her reaction towards Isamu momentarily forgotten. She had given his Kimono back and before he could protest, with an elegant flip of her wrist she summoned her whip and efficiently shut his mother up. Most interesting development, his mother giving her back towards the one she challenged. Against his own will, Ryuji's sentence popped in his head, something about underestimations and amusement. Begrudgingly Sesshomaru had to agree.

Isamu wasn't expecting this. He was supposed to stop the fight, not encourage it! Since when did Kagome become so hot-headed? She was keeping it to herself up until a minute ago. He watched with concealed worry as Inukimi rose from the ground and sent her whip to Kagome again. It hit a barrier and Kagome shot herself forward, claws glowing white and aiming at Inukimi's throat.

The Inu dodged, jumping over her and summoning her whip again, which only hit air as Kagome dodged by running up the wall and jumping towards the Inu. They attacked and dodged each other with precision, all blows being a near hit as their deadly dance continued.

"Aren't you going to do anything?! Inukimi will kill her!" Kouga bellowed to Sesshomaru with outrage, who in turn just rose a brow and side glanced at him. He didn't think his mother would be able to kill Kagome, at most she'd be able to hurt her, but kill? No, he could feel the power Kagome now held since she woke up, it was something different than before, something unique and bigger. He could feel it within himself as well. He flicked his wrist and summoned his whip to test a theory. It had changed as well, it was now silver with a green glow instead of all green. _Interesting_.

Kouga stopped to watch the fight and began paying attention to Kagome. She was keeping up with the female daiyoukai with relative ease, making Kouga gawk at the fight. _Kagome definitely wasn't kidnapped... I'll have to have a word with Inuyasha and his mate._

The crowd watched as their new and former Lady fought like true demons. Kagome had quickly adapted to using her new features to her advantage and was giving Inukimi a hard time. The Inu, for her part, was getting enraged at every missed blow and few scratches Kagome was landing on her. Was this woman even human?! The fight continued for a good twenty minutes, and at that point all the palace had gathered to watch the females fighting in the courtyard. That's when Hikari decided to join the party. She walked through the crowd with ease, as everyone was giving her as much space as they could for her to pass.

Isamu heard the clinking sounds on top of the stairs and turned to look. _Finally!_ He thought with relief. When she reached Isamu, she slapped the back of his head, much like he does to her.

"What the hell, Isamu! You were supposed to stop them, not watch them kill each other!" She told him with a glare and he glared back at her.

"And who's fault is it in the first place?! I couldn't really stop them, Inukimi didn't exactly attack me on sight like I thought she would." He told her and Hikari looked at him in disbelief, Inukimi glancing at him for a fraction of a second before dodging Kagome's whip again.

"Why in the world would Inukimi attack you?" Isamu blinked at her. Was she serious? He was pretty sure he told her the full story. Hikari picked up on that and rolled her eyes. _Men's stupidity is astounding_. And then proceeded to let her aura loose, effectively making everyone freeze and look at her.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, took me forever to figure out a way to make everyone interact.**


	18. Weight

Amaterasu - Sun Goddess

Tsukuyomi - Moon Goddess

Susanoo -God of Sea and Storms

Raijin - Lightning God

Omoikane - God of Wisdom

Hachiman - God of War

* * *

Hikari wasn't a complicated creature. Far from it actually. However, as much as it didn't seem, Hikari did think before acting. Most of the time at least. There were two main questions she would usually ask herself before doing something:

'Will it be fun?' and 'Am I going to feel excruciating pain if I do this?'

Although sometimes the answer to those didn't stop her from doing whatever the hell she wanted, she still took a moment to wonder. After all, a yes to the second question meant a lot of pain and a lecture from her divine parent, the latter being the biggest bother in her honest opinion. Living for ten thousand years made one stop caring about fleeting things such as the lancinating pain that it is to boil from the ankles up.

But the lectures? Oh, those were hell. They could keep her planted still for days with their speeches of responsibility and proper behaviour and she'd have a couple months worth of headaches. But something she hated much, much more than these, was when those who called themselves 'Gods' would come and shove orders in her face, as if she owed them something.

Hikari sighed in the empty room, thinking of the babbling she'd continue to hear once back in her center. They were discussing the possibilities that could lead to the creation of unnatural life, the feeling that things were about to go horribly wrong was impelling them to try and figure this out. That puppet was something… different. It was a resurrection and at the same time wasn't, it was something strange, a sick manipulation of life.

Hikari insisted it was a new form of necromancy, one powerful enough to truly bring someone back as the living, and not the undead. They weren't convinced about that, but whatever it was, it was done with the clear intent to mess with Kagome's fate, and they needed to figure out why. And fast.

Not being able to interfere directly, they relied heavily on Hikari to do their bidding and help the young miko. Her future was important in ways they had yet to comprehend. Fate itself didn't share with them anything more than necessary, just enough for them to take action towards the right direction.

Hikari was frustrated to no end. If only she could directly interfere and simply kill the puppet, find the one responsible and kill them too. That'd keep Kagome from her suffering. But it was never that simple with such affairs.

 _That's why you need to suck it up. Kagome needs help._ Hikari reminded herself as she closed her eyes.

A green field began forming around her, a cherry tree sprouted next to her and grew to its full size and beauty, its pink flowers shielding her from her own light. Her hair unmoving, no breeze whatsoever could be felt around the unnaturally white sky. It was just Hikari in the silence and beauty of her manipulated center. Until the silence was broken.

"Are you done with the interruptions, Nura?" Asked a thundering male voice within the demigod's center. Said female rolled her pink eyes painfully.

"Don't call me that and I don't know, I'm not the one interrupting." Hikari said in a bored tone.

"It is your given name and you have the power to ignore said interruptions." A female voice tinkled through the air, making Hikari's brow twitch in irritation.

"My name is Hi-ka-ri _._ I don't recall you ever being there to call me by anything else, _mommy_. Not until you deemed me useful at least." She said with a contempt-filled voice and felt a jolt of pain sear through her. It was only a second, but it was enough to make Hikari scoff in irritation. As if a little pain would shut her up, the ancient hag truly didn't know her.

The demigod saw something moving at the corner of her eye and looked towards the cherry tree, narrowing her eyes at the Sun Goddess who was now standing there. She reached at least seven foot, but wasn't tall, she was _big._ The deity wore a simple, yet elegant ruffled white dress with a golden belt accentuating her waist. The dress left the top of her shoulders uncovered, but did cover the sides, flowing down into a modest round neckline. She basically radiated light and power, her white hair was short and dishevelled, a blank expression was set onto her sharp features as she looked at Hikari with light amber eyes. The demigod sneered.

"Well, at least you have the decency to become visible when asking for 'favours' from your little slave." Another jolt of pain. Hikari tsc'd once the pain was gone, looking at her mother's unchanged expression. She hated people with masks, it was one of the reasons she liked to mess with Sesshomaru. And Isamu… who was much more expressive after six years of 'discipline'.

"Nura, we do not have time for this. We fear the situation might be far more complicated than we originally thought." Spoke the beautiful woman as she walked towards her daughter, who stood as well with a mocking expression on her face.

"Oh, so you finally realised just how _bad_ it is for a necromancer to be able to fully manipulate life. You guys are not the sharpest tools in the shed, are you?" She said raising an unimpressed brow. Her mother narrowed her sharp eyes at her.

A scoff was heard and Hikari clicked her tongue in discontent, why did this bitch decide to join the meeting all of a sudden? She wasn't here when they first called Hikari. The demigod turned her head to the side to see the Moon Goddess approaching them.

"Control this pest you call 'daughter', Amaterasu. Or I will do it for you." Said the slightly smaller woman with white skin and deep blue eyes. Her long black hair dragged behind her and a perfect fringe framed her face. She wore a navy dress, much like Amaterasu's but with a silver belt, as she floated toward the two females standing under the cherry tree. Hikari raised a brow to her before returning her gaze to the light yellow eyes of her mother.

"So… what's so bad that you had to call the frigid queen over?" She asked with contempt in her pink eyes. Amaterasu ignored the comment and turned her head to look at the black haired goddess, who was glaring at Hikari.

"Tsukuyomi, if you'll please share your discovery before we are once again interrupted." When she said this, another two gods showed themselves in Hikari's center. They were both tall and muscular, although one looked much younger than the other.

The older deity had a long white beard accompanied by an equally long white hair and wore a black full body tunic, resembling a style the gods in Greek mythology would wear. His eyes were a light blue colour and his tan skin was marked by age.

The other looked quite younger, his light blonde hair was tied back into a high ponytail and he wore black sashinuki Hakamas with a red sash, nothing shielding his feet. His chest was bare, showing jagged markings on his pecs and silver broad bracelets wrapped his biceps. His eyes, for their part, were quite different from the norm. His sclera and pupils were black and his irises were silver. Hikari didn't spare them a glance, she was focusing on the floating woman who was about to speak.

"An Ancient Artifact is missing." Tsukuyomi said and Hikari held her breath. _This is bad._

"What was taken?" She asked, her voice suddenly much lower than usual.

"A pearl from the spear of creation, Amenonuhoko." She said and you could almost see the worry emanating from her.

"When was that?" Hikari asked, she was getting nervous, this meant so much trouble. And so, so much _work._

"I do not know, I found out it was missing a couple minutes ago, I've only just returned." Tsukuyomi explained.

"It couldn't be stolen directly from the spear, it's inaccessible by anyone but you lot. So how?" Hikari demanded.

"We had used it to aid the last effort of a miko a few centuries ago. It was expected to return once the miko fulfilled her fate, but that wasn't the case." She said, Hikari furrowed her brows.

"You mean Midoriko?" She asked and the Moon Goddess nodded. Hikari's eyes narrowed in confusion. "If that's the case, shouldn't it cease to exist with the Shikon jewel?" She asked the dark-haired woman, who lightly shook her head negatively.

"The pearl did not _become_ the Shikon no Tama, it acted as a source of power to aid Midoriko in creating it. The pearl had a physical form but it became pure energy once it was bound to the Shikon jewel. Having the latter shattered into pieces, this energy spread, weakening the pearl, and when the Child of Time wished for the Shikon no Tama to disappear, the pearl was returned to where it first originated; the deepest grove the ocean possess. I did not think it was accessible by anyone but us." Tsukuyomi said as Hikari paced from side to side with an uneasy look in her face. The demigod almost cursed at that.

"So let me guess, it was no longer there when you went to retrieve it?" Hikari asked, wanting to punch someone. They let part of the most powerful tool of creation, given to them by the _ancient Kami_ themselves, loose on the mortal realm?! Were they _stupid_? _Why didn't they go retrieve it right away?!_

"Yes." She answered, and as if reading Hikari's mind, she continued. "It does take time to reach it, the grove is sealed. Also, we did not notice any strange activity going on until the Child returned from her era, so we let the pearl be as to restore its energy." The goddess said observing Hikari and feeling unnerved. She never saw the annoying demigod this disturbed before. Suddenly the horned female stopped, a thought coming to mind and sending a shiver down her spine. She looked at the goddess that controlled her leash.

"Mother," Hikari said and everyone perked up a bit, looking at her. She didn't say it with contempt or sarcasm, making Amaterasu herself lift her brows at her daughter. "Do you realise what this means?" The goddess tilted her head almost imperceptibly.

"They must've used its power to resurrect the-"

"No. It means someone is letting their brat's leash too loose." All gods stared at her.

"What are you insinuating." The elder god demanded, making everyone look at him, then back at Hikari.

"Not even daiyoukai can use a jewel from Amenonuhoko without suffering from it. It takes divine powers to properly control it, so what would be the point to bring an empty body back to life just to have your essence drained or your life shortened? I don't see how a mortal would benefit from this, it makes no sense; I believe it is one of your Children doing this." At this, all four gods eyed each other before looking at Hikari again.

"That is impossible, Nura. You of all people know we keep a close eye on our offspring." Said Amaterasu and Hikari looked towards her mother, her usually bright pink eyes growing dark.

"We both know that isn't entirely true." She said with a grave tone. The blonde god scoffed and Hikari looked at him with a raised brow.

"There are currently three demigods roaming about in the mortal realm. You, my daughter Isa, and Akatsuki, Tsukuyomi's son. Are you saying one of us is allowing this?" He asked with anger adorning his handsome features. Hikari huffed at him.

"Maybe, I don't know what you do in your free time Raijin. Also, did it ever occur to you that someone could have had some fun with a mortal without anyone knowing? We are obviously overlooking something of great importance here." She said in a matter of fact tone.

"That is very unlikely, we know when a child with true power is born." Said the elder god, who was getting irritated at Hikari's insinuations.

Amaterasu remained quiet, looking towards the cherry tree blossoms in thought. Something in Hikari's tone was giving her a very bad feeling and although their bond has been severed for a couple thousand years now, she felt an odd feeling emanating from Hikari. There were very few cases of demigods being born, it wasn't something common since it did come with some cruel responsibilities. Therefore, the only possibility left… She looked at the God of Wisdom.

"Omoikane-sama, could it be that Susanoo may have spared his son's life?" Hikari froze, looking with wide-eyes at her mother. Raijin was the one who answered her.

"Impossible. I personally made sure he did his job correctly. His son is _dead_." He said, lightning crackling around him in his outrage. Hikari glared at the blonde God. She was getting tired of their ego stroking.

"Come up with another explanation that fits perfectly with what is going on and then I'll pat your back for your efforts." Hikari said with anger and turned to her mother, completely ignoring the God of Lightning seething at her.

"Mother, I must tell K- the Shikon no Miko what we've discussed. If it is who we think it is, she is his target and needs to be prepared." She said and her mother eyed her. Hikari was paler than usual and had balled her fists beside her, piercing her claws in and out of her palms almost imperceptibly. There was no blood in her center, but there would certainly be a pool of it on her room. Amaterasu turned to the others, noticing no one felt comfortable with that.

Her bright yellow eyes lingered on Raijin, who was calmer but still angry. Accepting this would be accepting he failed in his task. But on the other hand, if that theory was right, they had a huge problem in hands. She nodded to him, giving him the last say on the issue and the blonde God looked at Hikari.

"You may tell her about the puppet, she will investigate after that. Leave the fact that she may be facing a demigod omitted. She may panic." He said to Hikari.

"What about the intervention on her time at the temple?" She asked, knowing that question would definitely come once she talked to her. Amaterasu was the one to respond.

"I don't think it is wise to let her know why Hachiman created the rupture in time. She is turmoiled enough as it is and the Inu might find offence in that." The deity said in a calm voice and Hikari sighed. Why was it that _they_ decided on stuff and _she_ was the one to directly suffer the consequences from it?

"Fine." Was all the demigod said before blinking back to her room, not caring if the meeting was truly over or not, she was at her limit. She remained unmoving for a few seconds, and then her self-control faltered and she trembled as she descended from her floating position.

She took two steps and her legs gave out, leaving her on her knees, hunched over herself. Tears made paths down her delicate pointed nose, falling on the red satin of her dress. It had been so long that she had forgotten the only pain that truly got to her. And now it was back in full force bringing out a mixture of anger, rage and sadness.

 _He is alive._

Her pink eyes darkened as the renewed turmoil inside became almost unbearable. She bared her fangs and narrowed her eyes in an anguished, angry expression, hugging herself and carving her claws into her arms, squeezing with bone-crushing strength.

 _He is alive._

Hikari stared at the floor, shaking at the force of her silent sobs. She wanted to wail, to scream, to curse, to destroy, to damage everything beyond repair and then turn into her beast to fly away at the speed of sound and find the asshole so she could strangle him with her claws.

At that thought, there was a fluid movement of light behind her and before she knew it, Bai was coiled around her, occupying most of the large room's empty space and shoving some furniture out of the way with his huge body. The only times she didn't really mind being a demigod was when her beast was with her like this.

He huffed lightly against her cheek and Hikari turned her head to look at him. At her expression the dragon let out a soft whine, he knew that pain. Bai nudged his snout onto her side and she turned to hug the dragon's neck, burying her face in his pristine mane behind his upper jaw. The dragon purred soothingly and closed his eyes, letting his master take comfort in the warmth of his physical form. One she has given to him to grant him freedom, while allowing him to remain part of her still. Once she calmed down, he spoke to her.

 **Hikari, what is it?**

 _He lives, Bai._

Bai's whole body stiffened with the information, but he closed his red eyes in restraint and let a smoky sigh out.

 **We must not let anger blind us.**

 _I want him dead. I want to hunt him down like the animal he is. I want our claws deep in his throat. Zhihao will die by my hands, and this time I'll make sure he remains dead._

 **You must not stray from the path chosen for us, Hikari.**

… _Let me hunt him, Bai_ _. Please._

 **We will but right now, o** **thers depend on us. There will be chaos if we leave to find him.**

Hikari chuckled sourly at that... chaos went wherever she went. She let her beast's purr and warmth calm her further. She couldn't lose herself to anger. She let go of Bai's comforting fur, stroking his soft mane, a hurt yet thoughtful expression adorning her features. She numbed her heart down to a calm rhythim, synchronizing her breath with the strokes on Bai's mane. Long and calming. She would be needing him with her from now on, and knowing what that meant she decided to ask a question through another one.

 _Did you have your fill?_

 **Ah, yes. Lady Inukimi is always generous with her bribes.**

Hikari smiled at his tone, he understood. His body may be made of light, but he can still very much enjoy physical pleasures and Hikari more than encouraged him to. She knows it is hard to be a great beast in a half-breed and not be in equal footing with the logical side. Not much she could do, a God's blood was way more powerful than a daiyoukai's, so she gave him some sort of freedom.

Standing upright she dragged her middle finger from the tip of Bai's snout all the way to his mane between his horns, a trail of light igniting from her touch and spreading throughout the beast's long body. Bai closed his eyes and let out a sigh before becoming pure light and then disappearing completely.

Hikari's eyes flashed red for a moment and she let a strained sigh escape her lips. It felt good to have him back. She wiped her tears away and marched towards the courtyard, forcing her usual demeanour upon herself. No one would see her cry, ever. Not real tears at least.

* * *

Takeshi sat next to Isamu on the meeting room's low table. If he could think of one word to describe the current situation, it would be 'awkward'. Across from him sat Inukimi and Kouga. Sesshomaru sat beside Kagome at the end of the table, and they were all waiting for Hikari to return.

She had stopped the fight between the females that were currently refusing to acknowledge each other and then dragged Kagome by her hand, calling for the rest of the people to follow, name by name. Except for Takeshi, not knowing his name she called 'you too, cute general' glancing at him as she climbed up the stairs. Every pair of eyes were on him for a second, even Sesshomaru's, and he felt the weird need to hide his face all of a sudden.

But, after the little lick her aura gave him, he wasn't about to protest against her order. In fact, everyone that felt her aura had to strain from running away out of instinct, as prey would do when a predator growled to let his presence known.

Kagome felt the same as Takeshi; so awkward she wanted to crawl off of her own skin. She spied on Sesshomaru, he was basically radiating irritation, his eyes fixed onto his mother with clear annoyance as he ignored Isamu's existence on the other side. Kagome was feeling his irritation quite clearly, it was a mild sensation that grew as she fought Inukimi, and she knew it wasn't hers.

She touched the silver rimmed moon on her neck and Sesshomaru's eyes locked on her. She was wearing his outer Kimono since Hikari didn't really give her a choice to change. She looked back and put her hand on his knee, squeezing it reassuringly. That seemed to calm his nerves a bit… only a bit though.

As for the other guests, Kagome felt comfortable with Isamu, Kouga and Takeshi, it wasn't such a big deal to have them all there. But with Inukimi… She wasn't irritated with her, she wanted her dead. It was quite different.

Kagome was quite surprised with herself, she was never this aggressive before. But something lurched inside Kagome at the very sight of the female Inu. The same voice that threatened to take Sesshomaru away from her.

Someone cleared their throat. It was Kouga.

"So, care to share on why so suddenly you are the Lady of the West?" Kouga asked Kagome and she blushed. _It was kind of done in the heat of the moment… last night... when we were drunk. I can't tell him that though._ She was still coming up with an answer when Sesshomaru spoke.

"Why do you care, wolf? You are already mated." He stated in a particularly colder tone and Kagome held her breath. _This could go very wrong._

"Were you not compromised as well, Lord Sesshomaru? I can still smell Aihara's scent around the palace. I thought you and my uncle had an agreement." He said in a challenging tone. Kagome looked at Sesshomaru from the corner of her eye.

"This Sesshomaru never agreed to such nonsense. She was sent here on the Eastern Lord's whim in order to _try_ and become this one's mate." He stated calmly, holding in a sneer at the reminder of the incessant bother that was Aihara.

"You did bed her though?" Kouga said matter of factly and Kagome felt a slight pang in her chest. She already knew he bedded others before her, and had accepted that, but hearing it out loud was physically painful. Her mating mark ached at the thought of infidelity on his part. Sesshomaru put his hand over hers, that still rested in his knee, silently calming her.

"So?" He asked and Kouga chuckled.

"She bugged you until you complied just to shut her up, didn't she?" Kouga asked.

"So you do know your cousin." Sesshomaru stated without emotion.

Kouga was about to speak again the door to the meeting room slammed open and Hikari walked in, dragging a very pissed Yukimi inside with her. She pulled the demoness all the way to Sesshomaru and let go of her wrist. She huffed in exasperation and was about to turn to leave when the door closed on its own behind her.

"I was in the middle of _something,_ Hikari." She said with anger, her pink eyes swirling with darker hues.

"There's no need to go to Edo anymore. I have the information that you seek, that is why you are here." She said simply, making the raven-haired demoness blink at her. Her tone was serious. This was bad, she's only seen her like this once in her life.

"But before I ruin everyone's day… further, I can't delay what I've been wanting to do for quite a while now." She said, glancing towards a certain female Inu, who just rose a brow at her. Hikari plucked four white strands from her hair and removed one of her horn rings, the chain simply extending its length to unrestrict the rings reach.

Sesshomaru watched with concealed interest as the demigod made the ring float and bound the end of each strand to it. The free end of the strands became a loop and floated towards Isamu, Sesshomaru, Inukimi and Kagome.

"We will go through an eye-opening experience right now. There is far too much to be explained and being quite sincere, I don't have the time for it. So, if you'll please take your end of the line and put your hand through the loop." Everyone looked at each other, then to her without really moving. The demigod remained waiting patiently, to everyone's surprise. A few seconds passed before sigh was heard.

"Hikari will put a spell on the four of you, you'll share memories that will give you a better understanding of something that weighs on your hearts, an attempt to alleviate it." Yukimi explained, sitting on a cushion across the table, next to Kouga. Supporting her head on her hand, her elbow on the table, she complemented in a bored tone "She will not let anyone leave until you comply, just a heads up." Kagome tilts her head at Hikari.

"Why me though?" She asked, genuinely confused. Hikari gave her a smirk and a glance at Sesshomaru. _Oh… Oh!_ Sesshomaru wasn't liking this, he heard a sigh of defeat and saw Isamu moving to wrap his wrist with his designated string of hair. Inukimi followed suit and so did Kagome. The three of them had their eyes closed and a peaceful expression on their faces once the loop was in place. Hikari stared at the stoic Lord, who remained unmoving.

"Don't you want to know more, Killing Perfection?" She asked in a teasing tone and he narrowed his eyes at her. She looked at Kagome and his gaze followed. The delicate profile of his mate showing him a peaceful expression. Sesshomaru reached for the white strand in front of him and put his hand through the loop. Then everything went dark.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **This chapter is a bit shorter cause I've been deciding on some major plot twists... sort of. Next chapter will explain Isamu's pain and a bit of Inukimi and Sesshomaru's past aswell.**

 **Thank you for being patient! :)**


	19. Selfish hypocrisy

"Isamu-chan! Isamu-chan!" The sweet voice called.

The pre-adolescent Inu didn't turn to its direction. He remained unmoved in his slight irritation, quietly observing the training grounds in front of him from the balcony. She reached him and pulled the sleeve of his kimono.

"Ne, Isamu-chan, are you ignoring me?" The young female Inu asked with a frustrated tone and the male looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was 50 years older than him, but she still acted like such a child.

"Lose the 'chan', Kimi, and maybe I'll _consider_ paying attention to you." He said with a side smirk, his gaze returning towards the sweaty soldier, but itching to go back to her golden stare.

"So you're in a bad mood today, huh?" She mused to herself before promptly standing in front of him. The male Inu was already taller than her, despite the age difference.

"So, guess what?" She asked him with an expectant grin.

"You learned how to act like a female?" He asked, looking at her with a mocking smirk. She swatted his shoulder with an offended huff.

"No, you idiot! I already am a perfect lady!" She said with anger and he chuckled.

"Uh-huh." He said with sarcasm and she scowled at him. "So, what happened?" He asked, placing a misbehaving silver lock of hair behind her elfin ear, soothing her temper.

"They said I'm the future intended of the western heir!" She explained with a squeal, pride and excitement swelling her words. The young Inu froze, a frown wanting to surface into his lips, together with his stupid beast's complaint. He bit back his discontentment and smirked.

"Quite the catch, Inukimi. I hope you don't bore the future Western Lord to death." He said and snickered when Inukimi punched his arm in indignation.

-x-

Isamu exhaled in frustration after avoiding another group of travelling humans _._ It was getting annoying to have his afternoon 'walks' when he had to move from his usual track just because of a few travellers. He had no intention in starting trouble at this time of the day, however, so he just diverged from his path. His nose would guide him back anyway.

In any case, he needed space from the manor, his father wanted to talk to him about choosing an intended. _Again._ As if he would mate anyone. No, the only female he wanted was currently unavailable to him and he wouldn't mate anyone else. So he just ran at the sight of his father and was walking aimlessly for the last three hours.

After another ten minutes of walking, his nose picked up on something. But it wasn't a buck or a lesser youkai or even human. It smelled… like an Inu?

He quietly followed the scent and ended up under a large tree. Isamu looked up to see a pelt hanging from a higher branch, the leaves were covering it, he needed to squint his eyes to see it.

Isamu quietly climbed his way up and found an Inu, apparently his age, taking a nap using his mokomoko as a pillow. He noticed the Inu was drooling _and snoring_ and couldn't hold a snort. Golden eyes snapped open, locking onto his and with a startled yelp, the Inu rolled off of the thick branch and landed with a thud on the ground.

Isamu sat on the previously occupied branch and looked down from the tree to find the young Inu in a very compromising position. He was uncomfortably bent in a way that his knees met his head, his bottom was turned upwards as he was supported by his nape.

You could see the blush forming in his face from between his legs. It was just a moment before he scrambled to sit, but it was enough to make Isamu laugh his lungs out to the scene.

"Oi! Stop laughing at me!" The stranger demanded, grabbing one of the sticks tangles in his silver hair and throwing it at Isamu, making him dodge poorly and end up falling atop of the other male with a yelp.

"Get. Off. Of. Me." The stranger said under him as he shoved Isamu to the side to stand up.

"I'm sorry man, it was just too funny." He said to him after catching his breath, the first genuine smile he let out without being in Kimi's presence. The other Inu scowled as he adjusted his high ponytail and got rid of the aftermath tangled on it.

"You're lucky I'm too lazy to fight." He said and Isamu stood to look at him closely. He had blue jaggedy striped on his cheeks and tanned skin. Obviously, he was royalty, having a mokomoko at such a young age. Not even Kimi had hers yet, and she was from the Moon Blessed lineage.

"Never heard of a lazy prince before," Isamu said with amusement and the other just shrugged.

"I'm trained daily by my father, so I don't need to waste energy fighting when I come out here to relax." Isamu hummed in agreement. "So, who are you?"

"I could ask the same." The other Inu clicked his tongue before eyeing Isamu, golden eyes narrowing in suspicion. He seemed to deem him trustworthy enough because his features relaxed a bit as he introduced himself.

"The name's Toga. I'm from a palace nearby." He told him.

"I'm Isamu… I live on a manor north from here."

"What makes you run so far from home?" He asked knowingly. The prince knew his maps.

"The prospect of political mating." He answered with a sneer.

"I know the feeling. What's with that stupid shit? Shouldn't we look for mates when we want to?" Toga asked with indignation.

"Indeed." Was all Isamu said.

The young demons spent their afternoon chatting and hunting. Toga had to go back before twilight hit them, but the genuine feeling of companionship that came with Isamu was enough for them to agree on meeting on a regular basis.

Isamu finally had someone to talk to.

-x-

"Again!" Isamu's father yelled at his son currently lying on a crater of his own making. The younger Inu huffed but complied, standing up and preparing himself to spar with his progenitor once again. The morning and early afternoon had been shitty, having to meet females that could be potential mates, so he was spending every ounce of energy in his daily training sessions.

He always thought his father's political affairs were bullshit and being dragged into those was a pain he was eager to get away from. Isamu's father was one of the best warriors on the region and yet he didn't seek to be the Western General, settling to be a minor lord.

The current general had a bad reputation but apparently a good relationship with his Lord, so he got his way. Isamu always wondered if he'd be able to defeat the guy for his position one day. He would have much pleasure when moving out of his father's grasp and to stay near the female he loved.

Even if just to stay near, it was enough, his beast would never settle with anyone else anyway, so maintaining the strong friendship was the best outcome he could see for his predicament. Kami, how he loathed politics.

The spar lasted another ten minutes, totalling about five hours of training, before Isamu's body called quits on him and he became too exhausted to practice. He took a bath, ate and retired to his chambers. It wasn't that late but Inukimi was visiting her intended so there wasn't much to do around the manor that he deemed interesting enough.

Once bathed and lying down, the young adult sighed to the ceiling. _Intended of the western heir… just my luck._ His heart constricted in his chest and it hurt way more than any of the blows or slashes he's received from his father so far. And he wanted to live close to her, even if she belonged to someone else. Was he a masochist?

 _Living without her smiles.  
_ _Her giggles.  
_ _Her witty comebacks.  
_ _Now_ _that_ _would be hell._

 _Kimi…_

He tried distracting himself from his predicament by planning the next day. He had another two females to meet… perhaps he'll escape to the clearing and just talk to Toga. His conversations were often stimulating and frankly, they shared a lot of the same opinions.

He sighed again, seeing that sleep was going to evade him for quite a while.

 _... just my luck._

-x-

Inukimi sat in the gardens, her fairly recent mating mark letting her feel the well-being of her mate, who was patrolling the western lands, very, _very_ far away from her.

She sighed to her flowers "He could spend more time with me, couldn't he? Two days every two cycles are just..." She trailed off with a slight frown. After a few more minutes of blank staring, she stood and walked with elegance towards the balcony to enter the palace.

As she walked, she couldn't help but sigh again, this time silently. She turned and slammed into someone. Lacking her usual grace, she stumbled to fall back but a strong clawed hand held forearm before that could happen.

"Easy there!" A familiar and comforting voice said, making her look up to teasing golden eyes. "I'm sorry, my _Lady_. I thought that at this point you would've learnt to look where you are going." Isamu said as he let her go and Inukimi glared at him.

"General Isamu, perhaps you should look at yourself before judging others?" She said with mock-contempt and a brow raised. He gave her a side smirk.

"Nah, it's more fun teasing you." He said, she returned the smirk and gracefully motioned for him to continue his way. He did and she accompanied him slowly through the halls.

"So, how's life as the youngest General in history?" She asked him.

"Pretty good, I get to kick some ass and call it training." He said with a malicious grin and she chuckled lightly.

"Sounds fun." She stated with a longing smile and he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"You know, the Lady of the West should be known for her unparalleled strength. And right now a pup could tackle you d-" He was interrupted by a rather strong punch in his arm.

"I have had training and you know that." She said, her golden eyes swirling with irritation. He chuckled at her, ignoring the pain her punch inflicted. A bit more force and she would've broken a bone easily. "And although I'm almost always drowning in my mate's work, I still am known for my unparalleled beauty." She said with a cocky smirk.

"Of course you are." He said sarcastically and received an elbow to the ribs. He barked a laugh at her pout. "Lady's don't pout, Kimi." He said, ready to dodge if another painful reaction was to come his way.

"Not in front of others." She said as they turned and he rose a brow to her.

"I don't count?" He asked and she rose her own brow in return.

"Of course not. Since when do you count as a subject?" She said with a smirk on her face and he scoffed at her.

"I'm your _General._ " He told her, offended. She looked at him with a grin.

"But before that, you are my best friend." She said and he eyed her sideways, a small smile masking his hurt.

-x-

"You called me, my Lord?" Isamu asked and Toga, all grown up and intimidating in his own right, turned to him.

"Don't start with this 'my Lord' bullcrap when it's just the two of us. I've told you that before, Isamu." He said with a tired voice and Isamu chuckled lightly.

"What did you need then, stranger?" He asked with a smirk and Toga groaned at him.

"Not you too…"

"Well, can you blame her? You spend what… twelve days every seasonal cycle in the palace? Maybe less?"

"I don't blame her, but you know I didn't want this. I've told you before that I don't belong indoors like a caged beast." Toga said, turning to his window on his study, looking over the training grounds.

"I am well aware of that, but she's your mate, and that wasn't her choice either," Isamu said with a bit more hostility than intended, and Toga looked at him over his shoulder.

"She wants a pup…" Toga said and Isamu froze.

"Do _you_ want a pup?" Isamu asked even though he already knew the answer.

"No… But I need an heir."

"It's a win/win then. Why are you hesitating?" Kimi might finally be distracted from the fact that her mate doesn't truly want her, a pup could be a good thing.

"I won't stop my travels, Isamu… I need someone to look over it while I'm away." _Ah, there's your selfish predicament._

"And you want me to do it," Isamu concluded

"You're the most trustworthy demon in this palace. I know full well you would do everything in your power to protect it. Like you protect _her_." Toga says with conviction, making his friend sigh and run his hand through his bangs.

"I will do it on one condition," Isamu says and Toga turns to him with hopeful eyes. "You will show your ugly muzzle back here more often. I will _not_ take your place as a father to the pup." Toga brings his fingers to his chin in thought.

"I can live with that, I've expanded the lands quite a bit so I would have to send guards to villages either way," Toga says and Isamu holds a relieved sigh in. Perhaps _now_ he'd give Kimi the proper attention.

-x-

Two squeaks followed by giggling were heard in the palace. Isamu heard a ' _pat pat pat'_ and stopped to spy down the corridor. The silver-haired pup, appearing to be around the age of two in human years and bare as the day he was born, ran out of his room, away from his mortified mother and maid. Isamu quickly hid behind the curve and waited.

The cute sound of tiny feet against the wooden floor approached and he swept the young heir off his feet, as soon as he invaded his vision, his hands almost circling his little torso.

"Aha!" He said as the pup squeaked in surprise. "Sesshomaru, you little devil. Giving your mom trouble again?" Isamu asked, walking toward the Lady of the West. The pup giggled at him but stopped when he noticed his captor was handing him to his mother, his tiny claws trying to scratch away his captor's hands. Inukimi smiled at the General.

"Thank you, he's been impossible lately. Won't keep any clothes on." She said as she grabbed the now pouting Sesshomaru from him and firmly wrapped him in her mokomoko.

"True Inus don't wear clothes!" He said with an air of wisdom and his hair was ruffled by the older Inu who was laughing.

"That's only when we are in our true form, little one." He said and Sesshomaru furrowed his tiny silver brows.

"See? That's what happens when you only pay attention to _part_ of the stories your father tells you." Inukimi and Isamu laughed as his pout grew deeper into a frown.

As the laughter died, the pup looked at the older Inu, who was looking at his mother. He saw something there that made him snarl, his protective instincts towards his pack taking hold. Sesshomaru's beast was telling him the older Inu shouldn't be looking at their mother that way.

"Sesshomaru!" Inukimi reprimanded and the pup turned in her lap to look at her, she gasped when she saw his eyes rimmed with red.

"Don't worry, Sesshomaru. I respect your father as alpha, you do not need to fear anything from me." Isamu said calmly, soothing the beast within the pup. It seemed to work. Inukimi eyed Isamu for a moment before returning to the young heir's room without so much as a word.

Isamu returned to his chambers, his eyes darkening once the panel closed. He wouldn't even be able to _look_ at her anymore. _Hell._

He audibly sighed. Why… why did it have to be _her?_ Out of so many females available and willing, why did his beast choose the only one he couldn't have?

His heart ached as he remembered the time when he saw his best friend walking into the mating ceremony, followed by the love of his life. She was born basically promised to the heir of the West. She grew up to feel proud about that, he was the dream mate for her, _the_ alpha male.

He knew it wouldn't work right away. Toga was a free spirit, even if the shackles of being a Lord held him down with responsibilities, he twisted the rules in order to get what he wanted. A mating wouldn't hold him down in one place, and that was proven to be the exact case.

The great Inu lets his thirst for blood and freedom take top priority in his daily life. And because he was forced into the mating for political reasons, he had no true affection towards his mate. He was older than her, not much, but enough to grow a desire to find his true mate before being forced into a relationship.

It pained Isamu greatly to see Inukimi lonely for most of her days and be able to do nothing about it. He sighed again. He could only hope this was the _worst_ it could get.

-x-

There was a knock on his door. The general, who wasn't asleep yet despite the time, stood up and walked towards it, opening it to expect someone with reports of either trouble or brawling in the barracks, _again_. But when the door opened, he had to refrain himself from growling.

His eyes captured an Inukimi with empty eyes, her cheeks tear streaked and her expression blank. He then knew Toga rutted the human hime he had mentioned to him, there was no other explanation on why would she would come to his room in the middle of the night. She couldn't talk to anyone else about it without them judging her capacity as a satisfactory mate and Lady.

"Kimi…" He said softly, not really moving as he didn't know if she would welcome his touch. Or if he'd be able to control himself.

She looked up at him and the tears began flowing from her already red eyes. His heart broke and his beast roared inside of him. If he had mated her, she would _never_ have gone through such pain.

He would have to try and knock some sense into Toga… _again._ But he knew it would be all but fruitless effort, and the damage was already done.

He shifted his thoughts towards the sniffing Lady in front of him. His best friend needed a shoulder to cry on. Taking a deep breath, and knowing what he was about to do was a big mistake, he peered around to see if anyone was on the corridor other than them. Seeing it was deserted, he stepped aside and she walked in.

He softly closed the panel behind him and watched Inukimi stop in the middle of the room, shaking as her sobs once again took a hold of her. As much as he knew she was distressed, he couldn't help but admire her figure.

She had her hair down, the moonlight entering the room reflected on her silver strands beautifully. Her night robe was elegant and her mokomoko made it seem like she could attend a royal event in those.

"Am I undesirable, Isamu?" She suddenly asked in a whisper, without turning to him. He swallowed, his throat dry all of a sudden. _Don't go there, Kimi._

"Inukimi." He said in a warning tone and she turned to him, her golden and empty eyes boring into his soul.

"Am I?" She insisted and Isamu inhaled deeply, this was going to escalate quickly, he just knew it. Yet, something in the back of his mind told him it was ok, it was bound to happen at some point. That only he could comfort her the way she needed. And so, he spoke.

"Of course not, Kimi. You are…" _Beautiful, intelligent, strong, charming, sexy-_ "Perfect." He said in an adoring tone. Inukimi's eyes gained a sparkle that he hadn't seen there in a long time, slightly widening as one last tear rolled down her marked cheek.

He walked towards her and wiped it away with his thumb. "That fool doesn't know how lucky he is," he whispered.

Inukimi looked at her childhood friend in a different way. He's been there all along, the most he remained away was for the wars he attended. He and she basically run the palace and the western politics together.

He was the one raising Sesshomaru, someone else's pup as if he was his father. He never mated, and although she knew the reason, she always lied to herself that it wasn't because of her.

She had felt her mating bond being severed early in the evening, it was hard to miss the excruciating pain. So now, in a way, she was free. Free of the burden of being the great Inu no Taisho's mate. She reached her delicate hand toward his bare chest and a strained growl left his throat.

"General Isamu." He remained silent and watched as those golden eyes shone with that shy seductive nature he fell in love with. "Will you prove it to me?" She asked, her intent gaze reading his golden eyes. They were filled with desire and restraint.

Inukimi knew it was selfish to ask something like this of him… but she was too hurt to care. She needed comfort so, so bad. She's been needing it for a few centuries now. And what better way to get it by bedding someone you knew truly loved you?

"Are you sure, my Lady?" He asked, his voice was low, deep and husky. It dripped with need. There was no going back once she answered.

"Yes."

-x-

The air within the western Palace was thick with tension. Everyone knew of the Lord's escapades, but not much could be done about it. But now...now he came with startling news that shook the castle in a tsunami of gossip. The human hime was pregnant.

Inukimi walked the halls with elegance and calm. Her demeanor apparently not affected by the news of the pregnancy at all. The Western Lady had become cold and severe once the Lord rutted with the human, none dared to challenge her orders or gossip about her.

Many servants who got caught looking at her with pity or disdain were no longer among the living. At first, it was a ridiculous stark contrast with the sweet and patient demeanour she once held. It had taken everyone aback and many thought the Lady had lost her mind. But now? Now that behaviour was the norm.

Ever since she knew of the affair with the human and her mark had faded to almost nothing on her shoulder, she's been this icicle no one dared to approach. Not even her teenage son.

Not that he wanted to. Sesshomaru took so much after her in the last couple of years that he too became a feared presence within the halls. Apparently, the Western Lord's escapades had more effect in his family than in his politics. And that was saying a lot.

The only one that knew what was really going on with them was the Western General. He had an insight to both the Lady and the Heir's thoughts, he was the only one they truly trusted.

Isamu didn't know what to do to change the situation. He didn't mind being the Lady's little secret and personal advisor, but quite sincerely, he hated seeing her like that.

The Inukimi he knew was full of life and loveable. This cold woman he was currently watching walk down the halls? That wasn't her. Toga had broken her, taken away all her confidence and made her close herself in a shell of ice.

His son following her steps closely in admiration towards her strength despite the situation. She was demanding respect in a way demons did by instinct; imposing fear. No one dared to look down on her, afraid they might lose their head.

The Western Lady shot Isamu a meaningful glance as she turned towards her chambers. It was quite late and he knew he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

The General sighed in both reluctance and anticipation. He hated being with her only because of these circumstances, but he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy being with her. He had bedded others, but no one came to her feet. Toga was an idiot. Isamu waited just enough and began making his way towards his Lady.

His steps were mute as he strided through halls he knew weren't being guarded. When the door he was aiming for came to view without the guards on it, as expected, he swiftly entered. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of prying eyes stumbled upon the scene in its nightly activities.

-x-

The feeling was stifling. The hair on the back of his neck didn't stop its standing since he woke up, it was almost like every single pair of eyes were on him. And that meant bad news considering what he was doing under the Western Lord's roof… especially when said Lord was returning today to deal with his monthly reports that the Lady couldn't handle on her own.

Whispers, snickers, side glances. He had to punish five of his soldiers already for getting funny with him. He knew they knew. They all knew, someone saw him last night and the gossip spread like wildfire overnight. Inukimi had yet to make an appearance today, just like Sesshomaru.

Isamu cringed at the thought. He cursed himself for being so careless, Inukimi didn't need this kind of judgement.

The morning slugged by and it was getting unbearable. After eating a third of what he usually ate for lunch, he went towards the gates to welcome the Western Lord. This was going to be a mess. As soon as Toga arrived and he saw his red rimmed eyes, he knew it was over. He would either be banished or killed.

"You. My study. _**NOW.**_ " He growled before turning to the third in command and Isamu bowed, turning to head over to the study and spotting the guard who had gossiped the latest news to the Lord. He entered the parchment smelling room and prayed Toga would spare Sesshomaru from the scene.

A few minutes later Inukimi barged into the room, her face red with unconcealed rage as she stopped beside Isamu, a good distance away, and turned to glare at the door, where Toga was closing the panel behind him.

There was a few seconds of silence. Of deafening, uncomfortable and rageful silence. Isamu couldn't help his own rage. His hypocrite of a Lord was about to either lecture or kill his General and Lady for betrayal. That happened when he was out. _Fucking_ a human woman.

"Inukimi, I'm banishing you from the Western palace." He informed his mate in a tone that one could use to tell her that the hairpin she's been looking for was on the table next to her. She stared at him for a few moments before bursting into laughter. There was so much pain and anger in it that Isamu wanted nothing less than take her away from Toga. In every sense.

"And for what would that be, _my Lord_?" She growled in a disdainful tone. "Is it because of my unfaithfulness? Because if it is, I can point out who made it possible." She said, pulling her collar aside to show the faded, almost transparent mark on her shoulder. Toga's eyes widened.

"Yeah, you didn't feel anything when this happened, did you? Of course not, you were balls deep in that human hime. Do you have any idea how much it _hurt_?! And now you're sending me away for doing the exact same you did to me?!"

Toga sighed, making both Isamu and Inukimi glower at him.

"Look, I am well aware of my hypocrisy. But I am the Lord of the West, and as such I cannot admit any sort of betrayal, especially from my own mate." He said and Isamu scoffed, incredulous, making Toga stare at him with a 'please don't make this harder' look in his eyes. Toga actually was happy Inukimi found comfort, but she was careless and now he didn't have a choice.

"And who is going to work in you place? You can only go to your pregnant lover because Kimi does your job for you." He said in a contempt filled voice, finally throwing the problem out there: Toga's selfishness.

"Sesshoumaru." There wasn't even a nanosecond of silence after that.

"What?!" Inukimi bellowed. "You are _not_ involving my pup in this! He isn't ready for the pressure that comes with doing what I do, what _you_ should be doing, he's too young!"

"Sesshoumaru is more capable than you think. You didn't leave me any choice, Inukimi. I can't leave Izayoi-"

"And there it is! That _human_ being put before the title you want to protect so much, before your own flesh and blood!" She screams at the top of her lungs, angry tears streaming down her pale face.

"Inuk-"

" **Oh don't 'Inukimi' me you** _ **asshole!**_ **I had as much of a choice in this mating as you did, but I, at least,** _ **tried.**_ " She growled, eyes bright crimson before she stormed to the door. " **Don't** _ **fucking**_ **follow me!** " She glares at _both_ males and stomps out of the study, slamming the panel behind her.

One moment Toga is staring in disbelief at the panel his mate just slammed, stunned at her beast yelling at _him._ And the next he is being punched in the face so hard he stumbles back. Once he regains his composure, he glares at Isamu, who is seething.

"Are you challenging me?!" He asked and Isamu scoffed.

"I want _nothing_ to do with your title, Toga. Right now I'm a pissed friend who is tired of your _bullshit_." Toga growls and returns the punch, moving so fast Isamu could only move the punch from his nose to his jaw.

The grey-haired Inu spit blood onto the floor and wiped his mouth. "You want to bring that human here, don't you? You never gave a shit about your reputation up until now. And suddenly palace gossip matters so much you are sending your _mate_ away." Toga looked away from his best friend's intense gaze.

He wasn't mad at him for sleeping with Inukimi, he knew how he felt for her. It didn't take a genius to see it. But he wanted to spare Inukimi from the further humiliation. His pup would be born in about a month and he needed the woman he loved and his offspring safe. Both of them.

There was a surge of youki and both males ran to the window to see Inukimi in her true form flying away. Her aura emanating a murderous anger. Isamu's heart sank. She was leaving him behind too. He had every intention of going with her, but the glare she gave him told him everything he needed to know.

She wanted nothing to do with him.

* * *

Author's note:

So... I rewrote this five times. _FIVE._ Writer's block is a serious issue.

Bottom line, I'm sorry for making you guys wait so much.

I hope I can publish another chapter within this month still since I've already started writing it, so it should be easier.

I think.

Thank you for the patience :3


	20. Burden

It was quiet. The people present in the large, dark room were all on edge. Everyone was holding their breath, except for one particular person.

As the moments ticked and the silent scene developed, there was a sudden shriek followed by several screams of terror, including one from the young male sitting beside the unphased girl who just chuckled at her brother's reaction.

The character is killed and everyone quiets down again, recovering from the jumpscare the movie provided. Kagome peeked at her brother and snorted, seeing how his mouth hanged open and he was heaving from the fright.

Sota heard the snort and glared at his sister, who was once again watching the movie, now with a small smirk on her face. He huffed and turned his attention back to the slasher, shuddering once again at the gruesome kills the hockey-masked monster delivered its victims. A bunch of predictable teenagers in Kagome's opinion.

After the movie ended and they were on the train headed home, Sota began excitedly retelling his favourite scenes of the movie to her. Kagome side smirked at her teenage brother all hyped up for some masked guy going around killing horny teenagers.

"And then he _shoves_ that machete up her torso like she's nothing! The blood was so real too!" The blood-experienced miko was about to open her mouth to tell him that no, that shit was so fake it hurt, but he didn't need to know that.

She kept her wound-cleaning and blood pouring stories from the feudal era locked up not to freak her family out. She intended to go back there after all.

"So, you're going back tomorrow, huh," Sota said out of the blue as if reading her mind. Kagome shifted in her seat.

"Yeah, tomorrow's the big day." _A day I've been preparing for three years._

Sota's silence was unnerving and she could see the shadow of a frown on his lips, so she reached out, "Hey, it won't be so bad. We talked about this." She tried soothing for what felt like the hundredth time this month. Her family was not keen on her leaving and as the 'moving' date got nearer, they were more inquisitive and on edge around her, trying to convince her to stay. And now that it was basically upon them… Let's just say they weren't that cheerful.

Kagome felt for them, but the way her heart ached every time she saw Goshinboku or watched a crowd pass by, searching for someone she knew wasn't there, meant she was about to do the right thing. The memory of that kiss they shared in the void when he finally found her was as clear as if it happened yesterday. Those things told her what she needed to know.

She wanted to be with Inuyasha. That's what she wanted, what she felt was right.

Every risk that came with it was worth it. And to add to that, she missed her friends dearly, not to mention the simplicity of the feudal era, it's pureness. She felt off place now that she could actually understand what she was, what she was capable of. The future was no place for either mythical or magical beings, and although reluctant to admit that she was either, she knew she was different.

To Kagome's relief, her mother was just as understanding now as she was when she began travelling to the past. She's always been the one to support her decisions, knowing Kagome was following her heart.

Sota smiled at her and soon they were talking about the movie again. As they arrived at the shrine, Kagome could see the place was all lit up with paper lanterns and a frown took over her features. She stopped dead in her tracks and pulled on her brother's sleeve lightly for him to stop. He looked at her, his features showing hisjust how nervous he was.

"What is going on?" She asked him and he blushed, hiding behind his scarf a bit.

"Well..." He began weakly and panic pooled in Kagome's chest. If they did this, she would feel much more guilt for leaving...

"We agreed on not doing a party, Sota. We had a deal!" She said, trying to hold back the frustration in her words.

"It's not like it's my fault! Mom's an unstoppable force!" The teenager defended himself as he pointed up towards the lit shrine. Kagome paled; if it was her mother who had planned it…

She darted up the stairs and Kagome couldn't help but gasp at the scene in front of her. They had made a mini-festival for her. She felt her eyes tearing up and looked at her mother, who had the biggest smile on her face.

"Surprise!" The chorus of people that were dear to the young miko called, her high school friends surprising her in a group hug. Kagome laughed, feeling shy suddenly.

"You guys I- I can't believe this!" She said, looking around at the single roll of game booths decorated with red and blue lights over them. The whole scenario looked magical and it made her feel guilty for leaving behind such wonderful people that would make such an effort just to bid her farewell.

"Well, we had a lot of trouble putting it all up in one afternoon since we agreed on not having a _party._ But I think we did a pretty good job." Her mother winked and Kagome gave her a playful glare before running and hugging her, making her friends and family laugh softly.

"You shouldn't have…" Kagome whispered to her and she patted her back, replying with a smile.

"As if we'd let you go without reminding you of how loved you are."

The night was absolutely delightful. Kagome greeted and spent time with her friends and family, playing her favourite games they had set up for the tiny festival they organized for her and enjoying the traditional foods she would probably not have access again for the rest of her life.

Even though Kagome dreaded something like this over the fact that she would probably never see her friends and family again, this whole situation gave her a warmth that she would hold on to at her worst times.

As the night came to an end, one of her martial arts sensei raised a glass of beer and cheered.

"To Kagome, who's running away to some foreign country to study and kick some ass!" Everyone cheered and laughed, a little tipsy from all the 'non-partying'.

At the end of the festival, Kagome felt warmed and loved. But as she already expected, the emptiness continued there and could only be filled by the embrace of a silver-haired hanyou.

-x-

There was a soft knock on the door, making Kagome take her eyes off the monitor of her computer and look behind her, telling whoever it was to come in. Her mother opened the door and frowned at the image on the computer.

"Thought I'd let you know your monstrosity of Ramen supply is on the well's shrine." Kagome grinned and looked at where her mother was looking.

"Still don't want me to go there?" She asked and her mother gave her a small huff.

"I'm just saying there are closer temples you could be going to." Her mother looked at her with concern etched onto her features, "Haven't you prepared yourself enough, sweetie? Do you really need to take your training further?" It was Kagome's turn to frown.

"Mom, this… this is _necessary_. Being physically strong isn't enough back there. I need to work on my spiritual power too." Her mother sighed.

"Okay, but do consider the southern temple. It's closer and less dangerous since it isn't on a _mountain._ " Her mother said before turning to leave, leaving Kagome feeling weird about her request.

Her mother supported her in almost every way, but the day she said she was going to the western temple to train when she was back on the feudal era, she was adamant on trying to change her mind.

It didn't escape Kagome's notice that her mother _knew_ something. After all, it couldn't be normal for a parent to just let their children travel to the past and fight demons without a second thought.

But since Kagome could already feel the well's energy gathering and she was all set to go, this was just her checking _again_ where she needed to go after convincing Inuyasha to travel with her. Too late to change plans now.

Two hours had passed when the pulse of familiar magic shook the miko out of her thoughts. She was nervous and excited as she shoved a few more items on her overfilled backpack and wrote a note for Sota with the password to her computer.

She grabbed her stuff and ran downstairs to find her mother outside already with her grandfather beside her.

She hugged them one last time, thanked them for everything and without stopping to think about it, because if she did there was a chance she wouldn't go, Kagome grabbed the bag of Cup Noodles and threw herself into the well.

The familiar warmth caressed her skin and she couldn't help her smile as she landed into the other side. Already the air was cleaner and she took in a deep breath, relishing on the fact that she was finally back. She hoisted herself with the backpack first, then came back to grab the Cup Noodles bag.

Once outside she looked around the clearing she was waiting to see for three years now. Man, was it good to be back!

She ran for the village, too eager to wait for anyone to come for her. As she approached it in her blue dress and light pink cardigan, people gasped at her sight. Kagome expected it from the villagers, but she didn't expect it from _Kaede._

"Am I that bad of a sight?" She joked as she got closer to the older miko, who was a bit too pale for Kagome's taste.

She put her bags on the floor and held the woman's shoulder, her face showing her concern as she examined her, "Are you ok, Lady Kaede? You look kind of pale." Kaede opened her mouth to speak but shut it again as her good eye looked past Kagome.

Said miko turned and when she saw the glimpse of red, her entire face lit up in a huge smile. That smile didn't last though as Inuyasha was staring at her with… what? Surprise? Horror? She turned and started walking towards him but he took a couple of steps back from her, and that made her stop.

"Okay, you guys are freaking me out. What's going on?" She asked, a nervous swallow following her phrase as the tension built and there was something weighing in the pit of her stomach. Something was off.

"Kagome!" She heard the childish voice and saw Shippo running towards her on all fours, like he always did when he was excited. She opened her arms and he jumped on them, Kagome hugging him tight as she let a bit of the weight lift off her chest.

"Well, at least someone's happy to see me." She half joked, trying to hold back the hurt to Kaede's and Inuyasha's reaction towards her.

"Ne, 'Gome? Let's go by the river for a bit!" Shippo said with a hurried voice that made Kagome's dread spike all the way up again.

"Why?"

"Come on, please?" His whisper was almost desperate and she frowned at him and looked over to Inuyasha again. And then there was a movement on the forest line behind him and her blue eyes caught ebony ones.

Kagome's heart twisted in her chest.

"Ki… Kikyou?" She said in a breathy whisper and noticed Inuyasha flinching at the obvious confusion and pain in her voice. "What's going on?" She asked, unconsciously hugging Shippo closer. Inuyasha seemed to weigh his options as Kagome spotted the bite mark on Kikyou's neck.

And realization dawned upon her.

Inuyasha mated Kikyou.

At that moment, something inside the miko snapped. It had been bent beyond what it was capable of handling.

A moment of silence passed before Shippo looked up, confused, when Kagome began to laugh out loud.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha began but Kagome kept on laughing, not being able to respond. After a moment, Inuyasha tensed further when he saw the look on Kagome's face. She had forced a smile upon her lips as she made her best effort to numb down the pain, her eyes empty and dulled down. It had to last for just a few moments, just for the time it would take her to get far enough.

"You know what? How rude of me! Congratulations to both of you!" She said in a cheery voice.

Shippo tightened his grip on her arm as he felt how she was struggling to keep her sobs at bay. "But if you don't mind, I need to take a walk." She put Shippo down and turned, spotting her stuff and the huge bag of Ramen.

That made her look at the man she travelled to the past to be with, a wry smile etched on her lips. "The bag has instant noodles, the ones you like. I brought them for you, Inuyasha. You can consider them wedding gifts, since I missed the celebration."

And with that, she ran off, grabbing her backpack on the way.

The path blurred by, a mixture of greens and browns that the distressed miko was too distracted to notice. She had one destination in mind; the well.

As she got closer, she knew she wouldn't be able to cross back to her time. There was no energy whatsoever in it, but still…

Kagome dropped her bag on the side with a loud thud and climbed the well's edge, looking down at the dirty bottom that once could lead her home. She watched for a moment as her tears left her nose and chin and silently vanished in the dirt.

After closing her eyes in a silent plead for a moment, she jumped. Her feet hit the hard ground and she grunted. Her chest heaved and she could hear her sobs getting louder.

"LET ME THROUGH!" She stomped the earth beneath her, the broken yell resonating in the small space. "LET ME THROUGH, YOU STUPID-" She stopped at sight of the shadow of someone jumping in. And she knew exactly who it was as he landed behind her, making her tense up further.

"Kagome, I-"

"Shut up." She whispered, trying her best to keep control over her raging emotions.

"Please listen, I-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Kagome bellowed as she turned, Inuyasha's expression sinking at the sight of her, his ears drooping. She covered her mouth when she realised she was taking it out on him. She hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, I… Please, I… I can't do this… not right now…"

"I didn't know you were coming back…" he whispered as he took a hold of her wrists and chin to make her look at him.

Kagome chuckled without humour, "Would that information make a difference?"

"Of course it would! Kagome, I had the hope you'd come back, but-" The miko's eyes hardened at that.

"No, you don't get to say that." She freed her wrists and turned away from him. "Leave me alone." She said, hugging herself with a bruising grip on her arms.

"Let me set this straight first."

"I _cannot_ do this right now, Inuyasha. Leave me alone!"

There was a long moment of silence before she heard the sound of him jumping out. As soon as she couldn't hear his footsteps, she sank to her knees and weeped, her hands muffling her wails as she realized she left her family behind for someone who was never truly hers.

-x-

The Western Lord sighed discreetly as he flew east. It was the second time he was visiting his ward just this moon cycle alone. He was outright bored since Naraku's defeat, the most interesting threat that would happen would be an average youkai attacking a village here and there, human bandits and whatnot. Even paperwork couldn't keep up with the time excess he had on hands.

So he found himself returning to the human village that reeked of the half-breed with more frequency than he would like.

He was nearing the village, where he had to leave his ward for some time to quiet the elder miko down before he took Rin back to the palace with him when the wind shifted and the scent hit him square in the face. It was the scent of unease, anxiousness, sadness and…

His eyes widened a fraction at a scent he hadn't smelled in at least three springs. The Shikon no Miko had truly returned after all. He almost smirked to himself, this would be a drama interesting enough to witness. Would give him something to do with his time other than patrol his overly-secured lands.

Sesshomaru arrived at the village to find everyone agitated and uneasy. Inuyasha was sniffing around like a tracking dog and was so pale Sesshomaru wondered if he got sick and the illness had affected his reasoning. The kit that occasionally came to visit was crying, Rin was beside him, patting his back soothingly but visibly upset.

"I'm sure she's fine, Shippo-chan. She will show up." She said to him, attempting to calm him down. Sesshomaru knew who they were talking about. Her smell was always something that would be at the edge of his senses if she was around, that girl withdrew his father's fang from his grave and that wasn't something easy to forget. The Lord turned towards his retainer.

"Find the miko."

"M-milord?"

"Now." He almost snarled and Jaken more than quickly mounted Ah-Un and took off to the skies in search of the missing human.

Sesshomaru turned back to the scene unfolding in front of him and a scowl took over his face as he watched Rin and the kit. He approached them and the children stopped, looking up at him. Rin felt calmer but Shippo began trembling from head to toe.

"Calm yourself kit, she will be found." Shippo hesitantly nodded at him but what caught Sesshomaru's attention was Rin's reaction. She had a brilliant, hopeful smile on her face. The Lord groaned internally.

 _Jaken better find that priestess._

To his ultimate disappointment, Jaken had later returned crestfallen, and the smell of his dread was enough for Sesshomaru to know his retainer had failed. He looked to the sky, it was about to get dark. If it did and she didn't show up, there was going to be chaos for sure.

With an internal sigh and a subtle sniff, he set off to where her scent was the freshest. The trail was a bit long but it took him almost no time to find the well's clearing. The huge backpack was thrown beside the well itself and Sesshomaru got closer to get a better look.

He idly wondered how was she able could she carry something that was almost her size back and forth. He checked the clearing and there was no sign of her, but there wasn't any indication she left the area either. Even when he spread his aura he couldn't feel her presence anywhere.

The Lord approached the well and leaned a bit to see if she was in there. He narrowed his eyes at the weird sight; there was no one there, but the bottom of the well was foggy and out of focus, as if something was actively erasing whatever it was his eyes should see.

Sesshomaru hummed in thought, was she powerful enough to cast such a spell? Before he would prove his theory, however, he had to deal with the bane of his patience. Inuyasha broke into the clearing in a panting mess and groaned in frustration before noticing his half-brother standing there.

"The fuck are you doing here?" He asked and Sesshomaru wanted to scoff. _What do you_ _ **think**_ _I'm doing here, you pathetic excuse of an Inu/?_ After not getting a response, Inuyasha huffed and turned around, "She ain't there, I checked already." He told him and darted off into the woods again.

The Lord returned his attention to the well and noticed how more perfectly the bottom seemed to hide whoever was there and as Inuyasha's presence diminished, it became the blurry mess it was before. He looked around and took a few tiny rocks from the ground.

He tossed the first one, and it disappeared into the blur. Almost immediately a shape formed as the creator of the spell got distracted. He saw a glimpse of black, ivory and blue in a blurry face. His lips turned into a tiny, smug smirk before he tossed another rock.

"Ow… What the…?" He narrowed his eyes at her spent, hoarse voice, and felt something weird as the sight of her post-crying face got cleared. Then he flashed in.

-x-

She didn't know how long she stayed in there but the sun was setting and it was getting harder to see the vines she's been staring at for so long now. The afternoon was eerily quiet and Kagome wondered if anyone even bothered to look for her. She felt numb, as if she was in a dream, just waiting to wake up.

More like a nightmare. She sighed to herself.

Kagome felt something small hit her head and a tiny rock fell down in front of her. She furrowed her brows and reached for it, turning it on her hand. When she looked up, out of nowhere another rock materialized and hit her square on the forehead.

"Ow! what the… ?" She took the round stone, studying it along with the second one as she stood. When she looked up, a surprised gasp escaped her when her vision registered a pair of glowing golden eyes staring down at her.

The eyes narrowed and Kagome had to swallow a scream when the figure flashed in front of her. The space in the well was small enough to make fluff rub against her and for a moment all she could think about was wanting to feel more of the softness and warmth it provided. It was almost comforting.

But the realization of who that fluff belonged to hit her fast and she took a step back, hitting the wall behind her to make more space between them.

"Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, the monotone in her hoarse voice sounding alien to her.

"Looking for you." She stopped to absorb what he just said.

"Why would you be looking for me?" She couldn't help her slight incredulity.

"Your kit is in hysterics over your disappearance and it's upsetting Rin." Kagome felt guilt course through her as she touched the wall behind her, grabbing a vine to begin climbing.

"That doesn't answer my question, you usually send Jakken to do stuff you don't want to." She said, feeling apprehensive suddenly. She tugged on the vegetation, only for it to snap and make dust rain over her, making her sneeze. She could swear she saw the Lord sneer at her.

"This Sesshomaru did send him. Only he couldn't see or sense you since you erected a concealing barrier around you." His tone was disapproving and it shook Kagome off of her stupor, making her want to punch him for judging her. She needed this time alone and she'd be damned if… and then the information finally sank in.

"Wait, what barrier? I didn't create any barriyaaa!" Kagome held onto Sesshomaru's chest plate as he hauled her up, grabbing her by her waist.

Kagome wasn't particularly unused to being manhandled like this, but to have Sesshomaru do it out of nowhere kind of freaked her out.

He put her down in a not so gentle manner as soon as they touched the ground again and Kagome stumbled backwards, as if he had a contagious disease or something

"I could've climbed out on my own." She complained, glaring at him.

"Clearly." The disdain in his voice was infuriating. She picked her backpack up and was about to retort when he turned and began walking towards the village. She was kind of disappointed because he was a very welcome distraction at the moment, as weird as that sounded. Bartering with someone, even if it was a cold daiyoukai, felt normal, real.

Kagome could only stare as he left her behind, the grip on the backpack straps tightening until her knuckles were white.

Could she really do this? Would she be able to handle it?

After a few paces though, Sesshomaru stopped to glare at her.

Kagome swallowed. She didn't want to go. But what the hell would she say? She wasn't about to tell the Lord of the West she had made the biggest, most stupid mistake of her life and was scared to go face the consequences. But he was waiting and was not known to be patient, so she willed her mind and her heart to numb themselves again and lowered her head to begin walking.

Her thoughts through the afternoon spiralled through her head. It didn't feel real, this whole mess felt wrong and fabricated, like something was out to make her life miserable.

But that was a load of bullshit and Kagome knew better than to think she was the center of the universe. Kikyou found a way to come back to life and was with the man she loved, and that had nothing to do with Kagome, just like last time.

Kagome sighed.

Fuck my life.

Was her last thought as they approached the treeline. A couple of relieved sighs were heard and Kagome watched, feeling a bit more light-hearted, as Shippo came running towards her. She dropped her backpack and gathered him in her arms. He was shaking and Kagome felt so bad for making him scared like this.

"I'm so sorry for vanishing like that, Shippo." She told him and he leaned back to look at her, shaking his head as he cleaned his face.

"It's not your fault, 'Gome." Kagome smiled and pet his hair before standing with him in her arms and looking around her. No sign of Inuyasha or Kikyou. Or Sango and Miroku for that matter…She assured Kaede that she was fine, apologizing again for disappearing. Kaede hugged her and said she was just glad Kagome was ok.

Kagome had to hold a sarcastic snort back. 'Ok' was an overstatement in so many levels. She conversed a bit more with the older miko before turning her head from one way to the other, looking for the certain couple she hadn't seen yet.

"Where are Miroku and Sango living?" Shippo's face lit into a hopeful smile and he pointed to a more elaborate hut a bit farther from the rest. She began walking towards it when Inuyasha broke through the treeline, making Kagome freeze in place as he approached her with determination. He looked like a mess.

"What the hell were you thinking, vanishing like that?! You scared us half to death!" He screamed at her and Kagome felt her insides twisting all over again.

"I didn't even move from there."

"Don't lie to me! You weren't there when we looked for you!"

"Perhaps you should reconsider your behaviour, half-breed." Everyone looked over to where Sesshomaru was standing, Rin spying from behind him, stealing worried glances over to Kagome and Shippo.

"This doesn't concern you, you bastard. Don't butt in!"

"If you don't wish for me to interfere, don't depend on me to fix your messes." He glanced at Kagome before turning and patting Rin's head, signalling for them to enter the hut.

Kagome, Shippo and Inuyasha gawked at his retreating form. Kagome's heart was thundering inside her chest as she stared at the hut Sesshomaru entered, seeing him in a whole other way. What in the world was that?

She noticed Inuyasha staring at her and held back a scowl. "To answer your question, I was thinking. Way too much apparently." She picked Shippo up and strode off, ordering her mind to focus on meeting her sister's family for the first time, on the kit in her arms, anything but herself.

-x-

Sesshomaru listened as the miko explained what was happening with his ward. He had asked her to teach Rin, knowing she came from the future and had knowledge not even he had access to.

It had been most disappointing how things developed. There was no scandal or drama or anyone trying to steal the other's soul like he expected to. The girl had just… withdrawn herself. She held basically the same demeanor of when he last saw her from Naraku's battles, but now there was this dead look in her eyes. She would rarely laugh or smile, and when she did, 90% of the time she did it with the sole purpose of avoiding concerned pep talks from others.

Sesshomaru had been, for some reason he couldn't quite put his claw on, was beginning to consider helping her in some way. Not without getting something back, of course, he was not that selfless. But lately he hadn't had much interesting things to do, so... He tuned out of his thoughts at a sudden ruckus somewhere to his right.

"Sango, love, she's busy!"

"She's always busy! I'm done. I'm done! I will simply not take this bullshit anymore!"

"She's with Lord Sesshomaru, at least wait until they finish!"

They both looked to the direction of the voices as one of them got closer, basically bellowing her frustration. Sesshomaru watched Kagome pale a bit and stand from the fence she was sitting on while the slayer came over with a strong smell of frustration, anger and… affection? Humans were truly a mystery.

As expected the slayer turned the corner of the hut and glared at the miko in, what was it she called it again? Jeans and T-shirt.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Lord Sesshomaru, but may I have a word with my sister?" The Lord raised a brow, he didn't smell any blood relation between the two. He turned to Kagome to look at the most emotion he had seen in her eyes in a while now. She was begging for him to tell the slayer 'no'.

His lips twitched slightly and he grunted his affirmative response to the slayer, who gave him a slight bow. The miko gasped at him, her mouth open in an indignant 'o' as Sango grabbed her hand and dragged her away.

"Traitor!" She mouthed to him and he actually wanted to chuckle at her. As both women disappeared into the woods he noticed the monk leaving his young boy with Rin and Kaede who were nearby collecting herbs and hurried after his wife and friend.

Not long after, Inuyasha descended his usual tree and followed after the monk. Sesshomaru was left with a question only he could answer: was he interested enough in this whole drama to follow like his half-excuseofabrother did? Although the female grunt coming from the forest was quite inviting, he wasn't at that level o curiosity just yet.

-x-

Sango dragged Kagome towards what the miko knew was their training clearing. The young miko had dreaded the moment her silence would entice a reaction from her sister. It would've done so for her if the roles were reversed, that much she knew.

Once in the clearing, Sango let her hand go and peeled off of her usual yukata to reveal her training apparel.

 _She dressed and everything, I guess I'm getting my ass kicked._

Kagome waited with certain apprehensiveness as the slayer turned to her. She tilted her head when Sango just stood there for a moment.

"Hit me." She demanded out of nowhere and Kagome scoffed.

"I'm not going to hit you Sango. Have you been drinking or something?" She turned to leave and found herself grunting as she fell sideways. Sango had swept her off her feet. Kagome glared at the slayer who took a step back and opened her arms to her.

"Hit. Me." She demanded again and Kagome stood, cleaning her clothes.

"I told you no. We already trained today Sango, give it a b-" She stopped mid-sentence to dodge a punch from the slayer, getting the opportunity to grab her arm and turn, swinging Sango over her shoulder and onto the ground, on her back. "Stop it!"

Sango heaved and brought her legs up, locking it under Kagome's armpits and throwing her to the edge of the clearing. Kagome rolled to a stop and stood on her knee, looking at the scratches and tears on her clothes.

"Sango! What the hell!"

"Hit me, Kagome. What are you so scared of?" She opened her arms in challenge again and Kagome stood, cracked her neck and put her hair up with a hairband she had on her wrist.

"You asked for it." She mumbled and then lounged herself towards Sango. The women traded a few punches and kicks, but Sango quickly took the upper hand on Kagome and tackled her, holding her arm back as she pressed her against the ground, torso down.

"You're not trying to hit me, not for real." Sango breathed, a few sweat droplets running down her forehead.

"Because I don't want to!" Kagome shot back in a breathy voice.

"Why not?" The miko let out an incredulous laugh.

"Why _would_ I? You're my friend!"

"Right now I'm not, I'm holding you down aren't I?" She said and began twisting Kagome's arm. The miko cried in pain, fisting her free hand in the grass to withstand it.

"Stop it!" She cried to her sister but only got more pressure in response, making her gasp in pain. She twisted the arm to its limits, the miko heaving with the effort not to scream. Sango groaned in frustration.

"React, damn it!"

"Sango, please…"

"Kagome, if you don't react right the fuck now I am going to break your arm!" They heard a branch cracking and Sango glared back at someone Kagome couldn't see, and then there were no more steps. The slayer turned to her sister again, putting in just a bit more pressure.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome sobbed and Sango slackened her grip a bit at the sight of the miko in tears, "What did I do? Just tell me what I did wrong…" She whispered, sobbing almost inaudibly. Sango's eyes watered. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you…"

"Then stop hurting yourself," Sango whispered, her tears pouring down. Kagome eyes grew wide.

"You're the one hurting me!" She bellowed in indignation.

"You are _letting_ me!" Sango bellowed back to her, her voice cracking. "React, Kagome! This whole situation hurting you… you need to fight it back. Scream, cry, pour it out… whatever it is you need to do to feel better, to move on, do it!"

Kagome grimaced with effort and elbowed Sango as hard as she could on the ribs. The slayer gasped in surprise and as she swayed because of the pain, Kagome rolled and traded places with Sango, straddling her.

"You," she panted, "are crazy!" Sango reached up, cleaning one of Kagome's tear-streaked cheeks.

"And you are sad…" She told her and Kagome stared down, her eyes unfocusing and dulling down to that numbing shield she found herself behind often.

"I'm not-"

"It's okay to be sad," Sango cut in, her face lighting up in an understanding smile, "and it's okay to cry. You left your family behind and lost a future with someone you love… It's okay to feel bad about it. It's been three months Kagome, and I haven't seen you cry once up until now. You can't hold it in for the sake of others." Kagome' tears poured silently as she moved out of Sango's lap. The slayer sat and watched as the miko hunched over her bent legs.

Sango moved and sat beside her, pulling Kagome to her shoulder.

"It hurts so much…" Kagome whispered and Sango's grip on her shoulder tightened.

"I know, but it won't hurt forever."

And they sat there for a while as Kagome let her sorrow through. As she finally accepted that she does truly have the right to feel this way and that it isn't something to be ashamed of.

-x-

"You filthy, deceitful miko! How dare you!" The shrill screech made Kagome painfully roll her eyes, closing her book with a snap.

"What is it with demons calling me filthy? I bathe with more frequency than most of you!" She said indignantly as the bulge-eyed imp ran over to her, swaying his ugly staff around.

"You are teaching Rin nonsense!"

"Oh really?" Kagome asked, reopening her book since it was obviously unimportant shit again.

"Yes, how in the world would you know if there is land beyond the eastern ocean?! Lies! You are filling Rin's head with useless delusions!"

"Uh-huh…" she murmured, writing a note by the side of the text she was reading.

"You should be ashamed!" Jakken shrieked, outraged and Kagome began chewing the end of her pencil, frowning slightly at a particular grammar rule that would be difficult to explain.

"Oh yeah, I'm drowning in shame..." She mumbled in a faraway tone.

"Milord is most displeased!" That made her look at the imp again, curiosity lighting her blue eyes up.

"Is he now? Any specific complaint he wanted you to share?" Kagome asked and the imp blinked at her sudden interest, but opened his beak and began rambling the same thing he just said a second ago.

Kagome's curiosity quickly faded and she tuned him out again, returning to her book. She needed this class ready for tomorrow and between training, taking jobs and filling in for Kaede, she had to prepare them whenever she had enough time and energy.

She smiled when she heard the familiar baritone ordering silence from a distance and looked up just in time to see a rock hit Jakken square in back of the head. The imp fell on his face, his leg bent up and twitching and a huge bump swelling on the impact place.

Kagome's eyes narrowed when she looked up and saw how far Sesshomaru was, "This guy's aim is unbelievable…" She commented to no one in particular.

"Milord, why…?" Jakken whimpered and Kagome chuckled to herself at the scene she's witnessed a few times now. It never got old. As she returned to her book, familiar voices filtered through her ears and her head snapped back up, her gaze falling to where Sango and Inuyasha were returning from a hunt.

Kagome stood, her heart still bitter in her chest as she closed her book, shoved it in her pouch together with her munched pencil, and turned to leave towards the forest.

As she entered the well's clearing and sat with her back against it, a scowl took over her face. How long was she going to keep running from him like this? It's been four months already!

She bent her legs up against her chest, burying her face on her arms above her knees. Letting her breathing relax, she basked on the silence of the place, it's pureness and delicate balance.

Time felt different when she was like this, it was almost as if it halted, slowed down to a much calmer pace. She both loved and hated that sensation. Once a little while passed she opened her eyes again to see black boots under baggy white hakama. She looked up to see Sesshomaru looking at her with mild curiosity and had to stop herself from grinning.

 _Look at who took the bait._

She mirrored his head tilt, "Can I help you?"

"What are you doing?" He inquired and she furrowed her brows at him.

 _Anything that takes my mind away from my heart._

"…resting?" He lifted an eyebrow at her answer, but didn't move or make any indication he would be saying anything else, so she lowered her knees and sat indian style, trying to get comfortable for what would probably be an awkward conversation.

"So… What brings you to my favourite clearing this lovely afternoon?" She asked playfully, batting her right knee up and down at her side in an anxious tic. This was it! She could finally ask him! Sesshomaru's gaze fell on the fidgeting appendage before settling back into Kagome's.

"Does my presence make you nervous?"

"Hmm, not exactly." She said, getting impatient and a bit frustrated at how easy she was to read.

"This one wishes to know more about the contents of your lessons." _Bingo_. Kagome's knee stopped and she tilted her head at him again, a small smirk pulling at her lips.

"In what way, exactly?" She asked him. He stepped closer and Kagome stood, holding her right wrist behind her back as she waited for his answer.

"Where did you acquire the knowledge?" He asked and Kagome hummed, reaching for her string pouch and rummaging its contents. She clicked her tongue once she found what she was looking for and pulled the book out, showing it but not moving to give it to him.

"It's a book from where I'm from. How much do you know about that?" She asked him.

"It clearly is not a question of where, but of when." He told her and she smirked. _Smart dog_.

This was risky, sharing knowledge from the future with an outright powerful daiyoukai, but he was only one big Inu. Kagome was pretty sure that whatever happened for youkai to disappear would still happen.

That thought brought a slight frown to her face, but she wiped it off quickly.

"Ok. So, how about a deal?" Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow at her and she elaborated. "I'll teach you what you wish to know, and in exchange, you teach me how to control my reiki like you do your youki."

At this Kagome could swear she could he was refraining himself from laughing. Cocky bastard. After he regained control, he responded to her.

"This one was under the impression you already knew how to control your Reiki."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "If you mean infuse it into an arrow or sutra to purify someone, we have a very different definition of control."

The Lord considered his options for a moment. On one hand, he'd have access to a lot of knowledge no one else would, and on the other… he's be stuck teaching an amateur miko how to control her reiki, something he didn't even know if he could achieve. It was something unheard of.

He sighed silently, looking at Kagome. She was biting her lip, both hands behind her as she fidgeted in place. She seemed eager…

 **Do we have anything better to do?**

 _Oh, to hell with it._

"Very well." He was almost startled when Kagome squealed and jumped, her fist shooting up.

"Yes! Thank you! So, when do we start?" She asked him with a grin that went from ear to ear.

-x-

Kagome ran, panting like crazy. He would be so mad at her. She saw Kaede's hut but the silhouette she was looking for was nowhere to be found. She slowed down to look inside the cabin and saw Kaede grinding herbs for an ill villager who laid beside her.

"Lady Kaede, have you seen-"

"He's by the creek. Ye made him wait too long." Kagome flinched.

"Thanks." She had already turned to go when she heard the elder miko's voice again.

"What's that on ye arm, child?"

The young miko blushed, pulling her sweater's sleeve down, "It's just a scratch, it's already taken care of." She said with a bit of weariness to her voice. Kaede calmly stood, took a small fabric pouch from a container and handed to the younger woman.

"What's this?" Kagome asked, reaching for it and Kaede responded as she returned to her grinding task.

"It's a herbal tea. It alleviates pain." Kagome eyed the pouch for a bit then walked over to the older miko, handing it back.

"I don't need it." She wouldn't take the miko's supplies away for something so silly.

"That is an unhealthy habit ye are creating, Kagome." Said miko scowled.

"I'm not hurting myself."

"But ye are actively looking for trouble, aren't ye?" Kaede looked at her, her good eye holding that know-it-all look Kagome was so used to. The younger miko laughed softly.

"I never needed to look for trouble. It finds me on its own." She turned to leave but stopped when Kaede took her good wrist and put the pouch back onto her hand.

"If not for this 'scratch', then for the one's ye can't handle." Kagome gave her a side smile and took the pouch, putting it on her bigger one, next to her books, binder and pen that had to be refilled already. She walked outside and her eyes immediately registered white and red.

She started walking towards the creek but stopped in her tracks when Inuyasha called for her.

Kagome's mask was already in place as she turned to him. Her eyes fell on their locked hands for a moment and she resisted the urge to just turn and leave.

"Did you need something?"

"Yeah, to know what is wrong with you!" He said, motioning towards her arm. Kagome noticed Kikyou glared at him, but she remained impassive.

"I don't think that is any of your business."

"Like hell it isn't! I'm the protector of this village, Kagome. You don't need to go around fighting demons and pretending you're a hero!"

"Where were you last night when the demon snuck in?" Kagome bluntly asked and Inuyasha blushed, dodging her gaze. She huffed. "Yeah, I thought so. You weren't there, I was. And that's all there is to it."

"You got hurt." He said, his tone accusingly.

"I'll heal." She dismissed him and turned. "Now if you don't mind, I'm already late." She waved her good arm goodbye as she walked away.

 _Like he has the right to tell me what I can and cannot do… Typical._

As she approached the creek, she could already feel the Lord's annoyance towards her and his greeting was a confirmation she would be given the cold shoulder for the few next meetings they'd have.

"You are late." He said in a clearly displeased tone, not even turning his head to look at her from the tree he was resting under. Kagome sighed, scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

"Sorry, I forgot my notes at home and it took longer than I assumed to find them. Turned out Shippo was using my binder to draw before he left yesterday. Luckily the notes were left untouched so… should we get to it?" He looked at her from the corner of his eye and grunted, looking forward again.

Kagome proceeded to report to him every change and progress happening with Rin, together with what she would probably be facing during the next months. There were months that were difficult for her, probably marking the time right before she found the daiyoukai. Autumn was the hardest on her.

"Ok, I have a question…"

"Hn."

"Why are you halting her physical growth?" His eyes snapped to hers, wide in surprise. It took only a second for them to narrow in warning.

"That is none of your business now, is it?" His tone promised murder but Kagome chuckled at him, making him blink at her in confusion.

"Relax. I'm not judging or accusing you, although I think you should talk to her about it, it's her life after all…" He waited and Kagome could see that he was no longer angry, just curious, "I'm guessing you figured by the time Kaede let her go, she'd be married with kids and bound to this place, didn't you?"

Sesshomaru dodged her gaze, looking at the sky. He seemed to contemplate a bit before looking at her again.

"She isn't safe here."

"And she'd be safe in a palace full of youkai?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at her and Kagome looked towards the river, watching a few otters play on the other edge, "You want what's best for her, and I don't blame you for wanting her lifespan to match yours. Losing a child must be an indescribable pain. But it is her body, her life. You should at least let her decide once her remaining years in the village are done."

The miko regarded the Lord once more, he was looking at her. She blushed slightly and cleared her throat.

"But that's just my opinion, you shouldn't think too much of it. I mean, what the heck do I know-"

"Thank you." Kagome's jaw slackened for a second there before she voiced her shock.

"What are you even thanking me for?" He rested his head against the tree, closing his eyes. Kagome felt like she'd never seen him so relaxed before.

"This one was in an inner debate over how to handle this situation," he looked at her again by the corner of his eye, "I know it is wrong of me to decide for her. I simply don't want to lose her…"

Kagome couldn't help it. She stood and sat beside him, covering his hand resting on the grass with her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looked at her in question.

"I'm sure that if you talk to her, she'll understand," she saw his eyes relax and they remained like that for a moment, until Kagome looked down and blushed brightly, removing her hand to stand up, "A-anyway, should we start with the training or the lessons today?" She asked, trying to hide her nervousness by stretching her arms up.

She felt a sting and brought them down, pulling down her already pulled sleeve as she remembered about the wound on her arm.

"Miko."

"Hm?"

"You are bleeding." Kagome looked down to see blood soaking up her sleeve.

"Shit!" She took her sweater off and ran to the creek, submerging the stained fabric into the water.

"You should take care of the wound first." Sesshomaru observed, his eyes lingering around her tank top wrapped torso without his permission as he curiously watched her giving priority to her garments over herself.

"My wound will heal soon enough, but these sweaters won't be created for at least four hundred and ninety years so I don't want to lose it."

"That looks like a warm garment. Don't humans feel hot in summer?" He asked out of pure curiosity.

Kagome lifted her wet sweater and hummed approvingly at the lack of blood in it. She twisted the fabric to get rid of the excess water, put it on a rock to dry and then sat down to look at her bandaged cut as she answered his question.

"We do, but I've been feeling a bit cold today. Dunno, maybe it's the flu." He noticed the goosebumps on her skin and her slightly flushed face. But she's been blushing a lot around him lately.

"The flu?"

"Yeah, it's like a common cold but worse…" she began distractedly as she tried to untie the linen bandage knot. "I'll have to leave Kaede teaching Rin for a while if that's the..." She stopped when she noticed he was hovering over her. Kagome looked up, "... case. Hi." She held her breath when he crouched in front of her and leaned in. She heard him sniffing and as he backed away she could see the disapproving look in his eyes. "What?"

"It's not a cold, it's an infection. Let me see that wound." Kagome eyed him suspiciously before she finished unwrapping her arm. The wound looked awful; three long gashes tore her flesh from elbow to wrist and made it swell, the skin of her entire forearm was red and hot and Kagome could only thank the Kami that she didn't open it to a waterfall of pus. But by the looks of it, it was getting there.

"Oh boy." Kagome frowned and he took a hold of her hand, turning it to see the wound better. She bit her lower lip not to hiss in pain.

"When did you acquire this?"

"Last night... but this is way too fast, I cleaned it up and everything!" She said, her thoughts trying to shuffle through the early morning's process of cleaning it. She sighed, she needed stitches but had run out of line already.

"Demon?" He let her arm go.

"Yeah…"

"What kind?"

"It was a lizard, I think. Dark red scales, green eyes... Why? Why does it matter?"

"It's poisoned. That's why it's like this already." He reached into his haori and handed her a small vial with a thick, transparent liquid in it.

"What's this?" She asked, studying the contents of the vial.

"It will help with the wound."

"What will it do, exactly?"

"Clear the poison and infection as well as accelerate the healing process." He explained to her and Kagome brought the vial against the light to look at it.

"Did you make this?" A small smirk pulled on his lips.

"You could say that."

"What's in it?"

"Just use it, miko." She could hear the annoyance in his voice. She opened the tiny cork and smelled it. It smelled like spit.

Kagome rose a skeptical brow at Sesshomaru one more time before turning the vial and gently wetting her fingers. She grimaced, it had the texture of saliva as well. After a moment of self-convincing, she spread it on the start of a cut.

It immediately soothed and she gasped in surprise before looking at him with wide eyes.

"You have to teach how to make this, this stuff is amazing!" She exclaimed excitedly, dropping some more of the content directly in the wound and humming low at the sensation.

She heard a weird huff and looked up at him and her brows furrowed, an incredulous smile forming on her lips.

"Did you just chuckle?" He stood up and flicked his hair back.

"You are imagining things, miko." He said but she could see he was trying to hold a smirk back. She stood and put the cork back onto the vial, then placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, I'm not imagining anything! That was a chuckle and I know it!" She grinned at him and he glared at her. She laughed and lifted both hands in a sign of peace. "But worry not, milord." She bowed, "No living soul will know from me that you have a sense of humor."

"Hn." He grunted approvingly and Kagome giggled openly at him, noticing the slight amusement in his eyes.

"Thanks, Sess." She said to him after she stopped laughing.

He rose a single brow at her, but because her laugh was something he had never heard before and he quite liked the sound, so he didn't really want to forbid her from giving him a nickname. It wasn't so bad and it's not like she ever called him anything other than what she wanted to.

-x-

A recurrent scene unravelled in the distance and the woman watched it with little interest, resting under the shade of a tree and nibbling on a piece of skillfully sliced sashimi.

Although she seemed bored and distracted, she actually paid attention to every action the 'miko' took. That girl had become self-destructive and it could be a problem.

She has kept an eye on her for several years now, and one thing she could absolutely confirm is that she'd changed. A lot.

Not only her attitude or reactions towards self-care, but she became ridiculously more closed, shutting herself away from everyone since she returned. Not that the demigod blamed her.

The last few months though, she and the Western Lord began growing closer through their arrangement, and she's been changing back, little by little.

Hikari saw that as a good and a bad thing. Good cause a person that communicates is easier to help. Bad cause it was painfully obvious what was happening and the risks that came with it.

She sighed and remained unmoving for a few minutes, watching the day-to-day life of the village when there was a flash of sudden lightning to her left. Instead of being startled, the demigod bit back a scowl by popping another slit of salmon into her mouth.

"Hi-kari-sama sat under a tree, do-ing some sta-alking!" A girly voice sang and Hikari lifted her right hand up, effectively colliding it against the falling girl's face, stopping her from dropping her whole weight onto her.

"Not in the mood, fuck off," she said, pushing the face away and making the girl fall on her behind with a heap.

"So cold, Hikari~," she whined, "Still touchy about what happened with the last incarnation? It's been almost 300 years already." The blonde girl with short hair and fox ears said, making Hikari tense her jaw.

"Just tell me what they want, Isa." She said in an impatient voice and the girl huffed, standing up.

"You know, if you weren't such an ass to your mother, you'd make everyone's life easier," Isa said, hands on hips. Hikari just motioned her hand for her to get on with it. The shorter demigod rolled her eyes.

"They want her at the temple by next spring, unmated, unharmed and they need her ready in a decade max." Hikari brought her hand up, lifting a finger for each item as she listed them.

"Done, won't promise anything, done and I can have her ready in five."

"Why not unmated?" Isa tilted her head, one of her ears flopping in the motion.

Hikari pointed towards the well's clearing, and the fox hanyou turned, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh. My. Gods. Is that the western Lord?" She asked and Hikari lifted an eyebrow to her.

"Yep," Hikari answered and rolled her eyes when Isa purred.

"She has good taste, look at the fine specimen. Are they involved already?"

"She's falling for him, it's one-sided so far but his beast will figure she's different. They always do... And from then on, things move lightning fast." Hikari said, lazily dropping another slit of fish into her mouth.

"I take it she moved past the Hanyou?"

"Yes, took a beating to begin to do so, but she did."

"Hmm. It's a shame though..." Isa said, sitting beside the dragon hanyou, who narrowed her eyes at her.

"What's a shame?"

"There's been a rumour that the western Lord is mating the daughter of the East. And I don't think our sweetheart over there fits the description." Hikari slumped back with a groan.

" _Why_ can I already see the shit hitting the fan?" Isa looked at her, her silver eyes full of amusement as she watched her friend stressing over future events already.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to clean it, like always." She said, and then turned to look at the clearing again, her mood considerably more sombre, "She needs some strength in her before liberating those seals. One can only bare so much before truly breaking..."

"Let's hope it doesn't get to that…" Hikari said, and then groaned again after a moment, bringing her hands to her face in dismay, "That dog better not hurt her because I do not want to take away her memories and if I have to, I'll make sure he goes through _hell_.", She promised in a dark tone, her thoughts pure anarchy. She then sagged in defeat once again, "Feeling all that load is just… exhausting."

"You feel it all because you don't discard the memories, you moron. It's like you're a masochist or something." Hikari brought her forearm to her eyes, letting a dry laugh out.

"This one has had a lot taken from her already... I don't want to take anything else without the ability to give it back." Isa scoffed in response to that, looking up towards the cloudy sky.

"Keep that way of thinking and we'll have a repeat of the last millennium…" she murmured, playing with her silver ankle binds as an uncomfortable silence settled between them. It took a few long moments for Isa to speak again, "Seriously, though? I do hope you have a... cooler approach this time. Although I doubt you can achieve that." Isa said, looking over her shoulder to the other woman, who hummed in response.

"Don't worry, I'm making things easier for me." That statement made the fox smirk.

"Batshit crazy or bossy bitch persona?"

"Why bark orders around when you could be making a huge mess?" Hikari asked, her choice more than obvious.

"Batshit crazy it is," Isa concluded with a chuckle and Hikari sat upright, running a hand through her silky hair to get rid of leaves.

"It is better if they dislike me…" She said, the conformity clear in her tone as Isa nodded.

"Yeah, we don't get too attached..." She then eyed Hikari, assessing her once again, "But I know you do it mostly for fun, you lunatic." Hikari snickered as her friend snorted at her.

Isa then stood, stretching and releasing her nine tales behind her, crackling electricity lifting the pale yellow fur, shifting the skirt of her light blue sundress as she summoned her ride back.

"I'll report back to them then. I'm sure they are already betting on who's she mating now that she's back on the game and I need to place my bid to get myself some unpunished misdeeds. Any messages you want delivering?" The dragon looked at the fox and smirked, flipping her off.

Isa straight out laughed at her and was gone in a flash.

-x-

Kagome was retrieving her dry clothes before the storm started. She was halfway through when she sensed them coming. She smiled, retrieving the laundry with a bit more haste. It didn't take long for Rin and Shippo to come running towards her.

She opened her arms and they tackled her down in a group hug, all three laughing.

"I take it that you missed me?" Kagome asked and they nodded to her. She mirrored their smiled.

"I missed you guys too." She sat up, hugging them, "Help me with the rest of the clothes?" Shippo promptly poofed into his pink sphere and was up and about taking the clothes off the lines. Kagome handed a few haoris to Rin so she could fold them. The girl began doing so silently and Kagome eyed her for a moment.

"How was it over at the palace?" She asked and Rin got startled by the question, making Kagome furrow her brows, "Rin?"

"It was great! Rin had lots of fun!" She blurted out, blushing as she avoided the miko's gaze. Kagome looked around, seeing that Sesshomaru was still somewhere else and there were only Jakken and Ah-Un by Kaede's hut.

She scooted over to Rin's side, moving a strand of hair from her face, "I can keep it a secret if you'd like." She said and at this time Shippo descended, putting the clothes he retrieved into the basket.

"You can trust 'Gome, Rin. She won't tell him." He said and Rin let a shaky sigh out.

"There was a lady in the palace, she said that when she became the Lady of the West she would banish all humans from the palace, and make sure Rin would never see milord again." When Rin looked up again and saw Kagome's expression, she added in a rush of words, "Please don't tell him! He may not let Rin-" Kagome quickly blinked out of her stun and moved to calm her down, gently grabbing her shoulder.

"Hey, hey! It's ok, I promised I'd keep a secret, didn't I?" Rin nodded and Kagome pulled the girl into a hug, her eyes darkening as anger replaced shock, "But you should tell him. He needs to know there's someone like that in his home."

Rin nodded, sniffing quietly. They finished the task quietly and moved everything inside since it had already started raining. The day passed in a confused blur for the miko. Sesshomaru had not returned and she knew, she just knew the next time she saw him, everything she found out in the afternoon would pour right out of her. And for once, Kagome didn't feel too guilty about breaking a promise.

As soon as Rin told her what had happened, Kagome was dead set on two things; making sure Sesshomaru knew he was mating a foul bitch and that said bitch was threatening Rin. The thought made her stop, her vision growing too blurry for her to see.

Slowly she brought her free hand up, touching her cheek. Her fingers came back wet. She let the knife fall on the wooden counter, a loud clatter resonating through the hut.

"Why am I crying?" She whispered. At that moment, the western Lord entered the small space, barely damp from the storm roaring outside.

"Miko." He called and Kagome looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes wide.

She knew it was foolish to fall for him, she knew it would be emotional suicide all over again. So she denied it. She had _not_ fallen for him, she was _not_ looking forward every week for their day of training and teaching, she was _not_ enjoying their talks or increasing tender moments so much she missed him like hell when he was away.

But as she looked at his confused face, his golden eyes, silver hair, markings… there was no denying it.

She was in love with Sesshomaru.

And he was going to mate someone else.

The tears began pouring down again and that made him move towards her. He reached out and Kagome's eyes snapped to his hand and when she knew it, she was dodging his touch.

She shouldn't have let herself fall for someone again, but what could you do when you had such a wonderful time beside a person that, during a whole day, once a week, made it seem like nothing mattered other than right then and there. When they temporarily made her forget the constant feeling of isolation she felt in this era.

How alone she felt right now.

"What happened?" He asked, dropping his hand and frowning slightly at her reaction. The miko opened her mouth with the intent to answer, but couldn't find her voice. Her mind riled up thoughts of any other topic while her heart demanded she'd say or do something, anything, to stop this mating from happening.

"Kagome," He called again, moving closer. At that, her mind won the battle against her wounded heart. And when she decided to go with the logical reasoning, she left everything that regarded herself out of the conversation. Out of mind.

"Did you talk to Rin?" She asked casually, reaching for a towel and wiping her face.

"Yes..." He narrowed his eyes at her, assessing her every movement.

"What did she tell you?"

"That something had happened and this Sesshomaru should talk to you about it."

"Yeah, so I'll get straight to the point. Someone threatened her in your palace." Sesshomaru's eyes widened, tinting red at the sides.

"Why didn't she come to me?"

"Because the demoness claimed to be someone of importance to you."

"As in...?"

"As in the future Lady of the West." He was dead silent and Kagome felt her heart twist in her chest and the tears begin to pool again. She turned, using her sleeve to dry her eyes with a bit more force than necessary, "You should do something about that... I'm... I'm going to leave when spring comes. To seek tutoring from mikos in a temple a bit far from here."

"Hn," And she heard him leave. Kagome closed her eyes, sobbing quietly for a long moment before turning and deciding she was going _right now._ She took her huge backpack and began filling it with essentials. She even put a miko robe she never used inside so she could be seen as one in the villages so they'd let her help.

She forcefully pulled the string of the over-stuffed monstrosity, trying to close it. When she turned to leave, she shrieked at a tall and slender demoness standing inside her hut.

-x-

Sesshomaru could only take about four steps away from the hut before stopping in his tracks in the middle of the storm. His beast was frothing in anger but it did not compare with his raw desire to kill that _bitch_ still in his palace. He heard what Kagome told him, and he could talk to her tomorrow after he's tossed the dead carcass of that mangy wolf out of his grounds.

He'd explain what happened and she wouldn't leave him. She couldn't. That girl had become important to him in ways he had yet to assess, but for now, he wouldn't let her escape his grasp. He only had this tick to squish before doing so, and that couldn't wait.

He was quite far already when he heard her shriek in the distance. His blood ran cold and as fast as he could, he was back inside Kagome's hut, only to see her unconscious with a demoness between him and her sleeping form, hunched over and apparently... weeping? He began to move towards them but after only two steps, a jolt of pain seared through his body and he felt consciousness slipping away from him.

-x-

"I do hope you find it in yourself to forgive me," The demigod told the confused miko and sent her chains towards her. The girl began falling and Hikari caught her, gently setting her against the wall. She took a deep breath, placed her thumb on her forehead and began chanting.

 **I will take away your memories  
** **And keep your sorrow at bay  
Let the catalyst for your growth  
Come from a duller pain**

After repeating a few times, she hissed, everything the girl felt about the demon lord assaulting her brain, the weight of the love she carried for him making everything a hundred times worse. She fell to her knees, her eyes pouring tears uncontrollably as she clutched the fabric close to her heart. Hikari laughed dryly, looking at the sleeping miko.

"And you were supposed to be the fortunate one..." She heard booted feet enter the hut but didn't make a move. She couldn't, she would absolutely wreck the village down. This girl was way too passive with her frustrations, that much was a given! She looked in time to see his knees giving in and Isa hauling him up so he wouldn't fall on his face.

"You frickin' owe me!" She hissed to Hikari, feeling indignant. Hikari just let a strangled chuckle out, not moving unless you count her shaking body.

Isa put the Lord gently down next to the miko, the couple leaning against each other. The fox hanyou sighed at the sight of her life-long friend hunched over herself.

"Can't you discard them? He might not be the one." Hikari groaned, forcing herself to sit up. Isa handed her a handkerchief and the dragon cleaned her face, sniffling loudly.

"Can't risk it..." Another lightning struck outside, the thunder coming quite fast after it, "She was going to leave now... she'd probably get killed before she could make it to the neighbouring village..."

Isa ignored her comment, "So you'll just carry that load around until she finds her mate?"

"Basically." Isa scoffed, standing up.

"You really are crazy, aren't you?" Hikari looked at Isa and grinned.

"Hey, max that's gonna happen is me despising the whelp." She let a laugh out, a few more tears running down her face. She looked sideways at the Lord, "One down, one to go."

* * *

AN: SHE LIVES!

Sorry for the wait!

So, basically, I was unsatisfied af with how shallow Kagome and Sess' relationship was, in my point of view, and so I made their memory sharing a bit more interesting.

Took me so long to write it though, I am truly sorry for making you guys wait when I promised something sooner.

Another thing bothering me, that Wren210 pointed out, was Rin's age. So there, fixed it! Sesshomaru is selfish enough to do something like this and he has the daughter of a demigod to make spells for him, so it was perfect. He obviously decided to stop doing so after the whole conversation with Kagome, that's why Rin was in a growth spurt at the beginning of the fic.

This is a very long chapter and I didn't even use the whole content I wrote, because it was another fanfic in itself. If you guys want I can do like a 'special' and post it the random bits in my profile.

Thank you so much for reading and for the reviews that popped up after so much time! They gave me a lot of motivation, thanks a lot!


	21. Plans

Yukimi observed as her mother put everyone under the spell, her eyes fixed on the demigod's expression. Something was not right, Hikari's behaviour was off and that unnerved Yukimi to the core. Last time she's seen her mother like this, half of her-

 _Tac-tac-tac-tac_

… of her family-

 _Tac-tac-tac-tac_

She glared to her left, where Kouga was rhythmically tapping his claws onto the table, his chin propped on his other hand. He did it again. And a fourth time. And a fifth.

"Will you stop it?" She asked briskly, not in the mood for fidgety impatience. Kouga didn't even look at her.

"They are taking too long!" He complained.

"They literally just went under it," Yukimi said with annoyance and Kouga sighed, equally annoyed. Patience was not his forte, especially when he was left in the dark like this. He had way too many questions for his taste: why was Kagome with Sesshomaru, what were they settling through memories, why did Kikyou send that letter to him?

His claws tapped again and Yukimi held a groan in her throat, wishing for her mother to get on with it before she caused a war against the east.

The room remained silent for a long moment, the only sound being Kouga and his annoying tapping.

"How long does it usually take?" He asked after leaving visible dents on the table, finally looking at the sorceress, who hummed as she inspected her claws.

"They'll be free any time now. Memory exchanges are a quick deal, our minds work faster than our-" Someone growled and they looked at Sesshomaru, who now had his stripes jagged and fangs elongating.

"What the… ?" Everyone shifted in their sit and Yukimi narrowed her eyes at her mother.

 _What have you done?_

The smell of salt invaded the room and their eyes shifted to Kagome, who had brought her hands to her head as if she was in pain.

"They are not sharing memories anymore," Yukimi stated and stood, walking towards the Lady of the West. A sharp inhale came from Hikari and the sorceress frowned, looking from one female to the other. Whatever was happening, it wasn't good.

Out of the blue, the five of them blinked out of their trance, Sesshomaru immediately standing, an eerie calm emanating from him.

"Sess, wait!" Kagome tried reaching for his hand but he was already on his way to the door. The miko groaned, cradling her head between her hands once again.

She breathed deeply to calm down, standing up. She opened one eye and looked at Kouga, her features a nervous mess, "Kouga, we need to find Aihara and get her out of here as fast as we can."

"Aihara? But what-"

"Come on!" She said, bolting to the door and pulling him with her. They skidded to a halt on the balcony and searched for either red or silver. Nothing.

"I think I saw her on the way here, there was a carriage being guarded on the secondary road," Kouga said and Kagome's eyes snapped to the gates, and then to the road headed east, the one that avoided the village. She jumped down to the grounds and made a run for it.

She was out of the gates already when she squeaked in surprise; a huge snout poked the back of her knees, making her sit on it and throwing her up to land with a grunt on a brown wolf's back.

She wanted to protest but the speed in which the wolf began running made her fist the fur and duck to not to get thrown off. She tried feeling where Sesshomaru was through their mark and noticed he was blocking her.

She tsked in frustration and gambled a peek forward, but she couldn't see much over the wolf's head. How far could Sesshomaru travel in such little time?! Not much later after she thought that, Kouga skid to a halt. She wasted no time in jumping down from his back and sprinting forward.

Good thing she did too because she had barely enough time to take the sheathed Tenseiga from Sesshomaru's waist and block the blow he was aiming at the redhead, who was cowering against her carriage while all the servants watched from far away, terrified.

His red eyes widened and he removed his sword, snarling at her, " **Mate, what are you doing?!** "

"Stopping you from doing something really, _really_ stupid." She let her aura engulf him, the red receding as he snarled at the forced calm being put upon him. He lowered Bakusaiga and took a step closer, towering over her.

"She threatened my daughter. Under my own roof."

"I know." Tenseiga pulsed inside its sheath. Kagome noticed but didn't take her eyes off of Sesshomaru.

"You were going to leave in the middle of a storm because of the lies she's spread," Sesshomaru continued, his words icy.

"I was."

"Then why are you protecting her?!"

"Because she's not worth it! Her death brings no benefit other than personal satisfaction and will bring many problems our way," She reached up, stroking his stripes, "You just got a lot of memories back, don't act on impulse over them."

Sesshomaru inhaled deeply to sigh, his nose wrinkling at that, making her remove her hand, "I've been meaning to ask since you arrived. Why do you reek of wolf?" He asked in a calm voice. Too calm.

 _Whoops_.

"That's just-" Aihara scoffed behind her.

"Not a whole day mated and already proved to be unfaithful. Typical human garbage," she sneered down at Kagome, now standing. The miko turned to look at her, her stripes jagged as she narrowed her eyes at the demoness.

"You know what?" She took a step to the side, effectively removing herself from in between her mate and the wolf, "I was wrong," She stated and Sesshomaru smirked maliciously, already lifting Bakusaiga back up, "The personal satisfaction is worth it."

"Whoa, whoa!" Kouga jumped between them, shoving Aihara back inside the carriage, "Aihara has a has a bit of a mental impairment going on, you know, she doesn't know when to shut up." He snarled at his cousin, who just scoffed, pointing her snobby nose up, "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves and do something we'll regret, eh?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Kouga as he sheathed his sword.

"She is, from today forward, banished from the West. If she ever shows her face here again…"

"We will kill her." Kagome finished for him, her voice so cold it made Sesshomaru proud. Aihara began protesting but Kouga was already ordering the servants to begin moving again, effectively overpowering her voice before she said anything that would end up with her head rolling.

The servants made quick work of making the carriage move again to take the Eastern princess away from the enraged couple.

"When did you become so hot-headed? Not that you weren't before… you're just more deadly now," Kouga said, and she just shrugged.

"Probably because of Sess' youki. He is quite hot-headed and naturally a bite before bark dog," She grinned at her mate, who mentally rolled his eyes at her, "Also, your cousin needs some discipline. Have someone check that behaviour of hers."

"Oh, it's on my to-do list… So, Kagome smells like me because I brought her here on my back so we'd stop another war from happening. Good thing I came, since my cousin is a complete idiot," He complimented, making _another_ mental note to inform his uncle of her behaviour, "Anyway, now can I know what the fuck is going on?" He questioned after a moment.

Sesshomaru and Kagome glanced at each other, "That is a very long story," She said and Kouga huffed.

"Sum it up," he said simply and Kagome sighed, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms in an attempt to make her brain work faster.

She told him about what she was, how she found that out, what the north did and why she was currently with Sesshomaru. Kouga listened to everything with concealed anxiousness growing within him. A war was bad enough, but having a demigod in the Western palace because of the Lady of the West meant anything could happen.

When Kagome finished talking, she walked over to him, "Did you happen to bring the letter with you? The one Kikyou sent," Kouga snarled low and nodded, reaching inside his clothes.

"Here. She sent a strand of hair from her and from the mutt for me to know it's from them," He handed the rolled letter to Kagome and she reached for it. As soon as her fingertips touched the scroll, it burst into flames. Both Kagome and Koga hissed in pain, pulling their hands back quickly.

"What in the world…" Kouga mumbled as he looked at the ashes descending towards the ground.

"She did not want me anywhere near it, huh," Kagome said, looking as her burnt fingers as they began healing. She looked at Kouga again, "Ok, we'll head back to the palace since we left an unsupervised Hikari behind. Oh, and Kouga," He tilted his head at her, "I think we'll be getting in touch again… soon."

The wolf nodded, understanding that things weren't exactly peaceful between lands anymore. He bid them farewell and took off, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.

Not long after, Kagome felt two arms snaking around her waist, pulling her back as Sesshomaru buried his face on the crook of her neck. She sighed, relishing the comfort of his warmth against her. Until he began rubbing his face up and down her neck.

"Sess, what the hell are you doing?" She asked, weirded out as he repeated the motion on the other side.

"Scent marking you," He said simply and Kagome chuckled, turning her head to face his neck.

"As if I didn't obviously belong to you already," she mumbled, skimming her lips over his mating mark and he growled against her neck, making a shiver run down her spine.

"You were going to leave me…" He said after a moment and Kagome felt her eyes sting with tears.

"I was… I did," she turned in his arms, making him straighten himself, "But I couldn't go through it all again, I-" he crashed his lips against hers, swallowing her words.

"I know," he told her. Kagome sighed, relieved.

"You wanted me to stay..." She said and he brought his lips to her forehead before pulling her to his chest.

"Yes."

"Why?" She asked in a whisper. She knew why, she had seen it and felt it, but she wanted him to say it. Sesshomaru tightened his hold on her.

"For the same reason you were going to leave in the middle of a storm…" She blushed slightly, deciding that it was confirmation enough and feeling warm. A thought made a smile tug at her lips.

"I'm so glad you decided to tease me in that clearing," She said, chuckling. He smirked.

"I'm glad I did that, too," She moved to smile at him and after a moment, her smile upgraded to a mischievous grin. He tilted his head at her in question.

"I can't believe you gave me a bottle of your spit!" She snorted, trying to hold her laughter down, "Why would you walk around with a flask of your own-" He brought her face to his chest, muffling her giggles as he stroked her hair lovingly.

"Some things are better left unknown," He told her in a deadpan tone, and he could feel her laughter intensify against him. He couldn't really get mad at her, he loved hearing her laugh so much. After calming down she looked up, a smile still on her lips.

"No, but seriously, I'm curious. Why do you walk around with your 'homemade' healing salve in a flask?" He rolled his eyes behind his lids and stroked her cheek.

"You'd show up injured now and then to our sessions. I wasn't about to lick your wounds shut," He told her and her eyes darkened a shade.

"That's a shame, I wouldn't have minded having your tongue all over me," She whispered to him and he growled in turn, pressing his lips against hers. She laced her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

His tongue traced her bottom lip, coaxing her lips open and she gladly obliged. His taste filled her mouth and she let and appreciative groan out. Kagome felt that familiar heat pool in her lower abdomen and she pulled back to look at him, breathless, "Ok, let's stop this here before we eat each other out in the woods."

Sesshomaru straightened himself and looked at the forest, then to the palace. They had travelled quite far to catch up with the wolf. That was convenient.

"Hn… This Sesshomaru isn't against the idea," he smirked down at her, making her cheeks blush prettily. She was just too cute. He took her in his arms, flashing towards a secluded clearing in the forest.

* * *

"So basically, what you are asking me to do is pretend to be the Lord of the West for four months?" Isamu asked, incredulous.

"Five," Hikari corrected him.

Inukimi straight out laughed, her sleeve covering her mouth, "Out of all the nonsense that leaves your mouth, this one has to take the prize. Sesshomaru would never allow that. It matters not that he now knows of our past."

"Well, it's not like he has a choice. This isn't a situation he can melt his way out of." Hikari said, looking at the window, to the direction where she knew the lovebirds were. Her eyes shifted back to the female Inu when she spoke again.

"Well, I can try and reason with him." Hikari snorted.

"You? The demoness that tried to kill his mate before she had her breakfast?" The demoness scowled to her but the demigod dismissed her, "No, we don't have the time for this kind of conflicts."

At that Yukimi entered the room, tossing an iron key towards Hikari, who caught it, "Try not to destroy the place,"

"Don't worry, I'll have adult supervision," Yukimi lifted her brows in mild surprise.

"Oh, really?" She asked and Hikari grinned.

"Yep, you are coming with us," The sorceress scowled, but before she could say anything, Hikari strode towards the meeting room's door like someone with a purpose, "The two of them should be back in a while. Maybe sooner because I'm here. When they do, would you please inform me, Kimi?"

"Which one?" The demoness and sorceress said at the same time. Hikari stopped in her tracks, turning and raising a brow at them.

"I suppose either of you is fine, but the preference is for Yukimi since you," she pointed at the Inu, "need to practice for your temporary return to the throne as the new Lady of the West, beside her Lord."

The demoness blushed slightly, glancing at Isamu for a millisecond. Hikari's eyes were on the ceiling as she resumed her way towards her daughter's library.

She expected them to be all over each other, like Kagome and Sesshomaru, since she rekindled, what? A millennium or two of pent up lust? Yeah, that's about right. She shrugged to herself, they'd be having a good time by themselves soon enough.

That made her look at the key in her hand.

 _This on the other hand… is going to suck._

But as she took another step, she stopped, furrowing her brows. She looked back, to the courtyard's direction, and saw Yukimi walk over, glance at her with the same furrowed brows before she made her way to the courtyard. Hikari followed.

For the first time, she had no idea what to make of someone's presence.

* * *

Sesshomaru grunted, thrusting his hips up to meet his mate's as she reached her climax on top of him, screaming his name and carving her claws on his forearms. Her muscles contracted around his cock, milking him greedily and he let his control slip, joining her in bliss.

As they came down from their high, he sat up, bringing his mouth to hers. Sesshomaru couldn't get enough of her. He would never get enough of her.

He pulled out of the kiss to leave a trail nips and kisses up and down her neck and licked her mating mark, loving the feeling her moan brought to him.

"Sess…" She called, her voice hoarse.

"Hm…" It was almost a purr.

"We have to go back," He couldn't hold his displeased growl back.

"No we don't," Kagome laughed, gently pushing him away from her to look at him.

"Yeah, we do. Last time I checked we were on the verge of war and-" He kissed her, making her chuckle against his mouth before pulling away, "You can't shut me up with a kiss every time I-" He kissed her again and she giggled, "Sesshomaru!"

"They can survive without us for a couple of hours more," He told her, resuming his assault on her neck and sliding a hand up her waist to cup her breast, pinching the hardened peak between his fingers. Kagome hummed in pleasure, feeling heat course through her and making his cock twitch inside of her at the sound.

"I agree with you and would gladly stay… but I'd kill for some food right now," He stopped to look at her, a scowl on his face.

"When did you last eat?" Kagome blushed guiltily.

"At the feast?" A sheepish smile covered her face and Sesshomaru bristled.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?!" He hissed, furious with her lack of care for herself. She had coupled with him, tried killing his mother, stopped him from killing a wolf and coupled some more before even thinking about feeding herself. She blushed harder.

"I forgot, it's not like my mind was anywhere near my stomach!" She protested. So much had happened in one morning, how did he expect her to remember to eat when she was trying to kill his _mother_?!

"Kagome!" he growled in warning.

"I'm sorry! Geez, I'm not going to die from a day without food. Don't make me regret teaching you human biology!" Before Kagome knew it, she hit the soft grass with her back, a small whine escaping her throat at the loss of his presence inside her. Sesshomaru hovered over her, anger emanating from him.

"You will not behave as you did in Edo!" He growled at her and she sighed, reaching up to his cheek.

"Ok," she gave him a quick kiss, "I promise you I'll take better care of myself," She grinned when he huffed and stood, bringing her with him.

"Let's get my Lady something to eat then," It was his turn to grin at her growing blush. It would pop up every time he'd say something like this.

They made quick work of dressing themselves and Sesshomaru took her in his arms to fly back to the castle. As they got closer, Kagome noticed Sesshomaru's irritation spike up and it took her a second to understand why. Then Ryuji's scent hit her square in the face as they descended in front of the gates.

Kagome groaned low, she had completely forgotten about the monk challenging Sesshomaru.

 _Just one more headache for us to…_

"- a person and their reincarnation are _not_ the same people!" She heard him arguing and she couldn't hold it in. She smirked.

 _I don't even care what they are talking about, someone_ give _that man a medal!_

She thought as she walked past the gates behind Sesshomaru. Ryuji looked their way and blushed furiously, before turning to look at Hikari again.

"It's still pretty freaky to want to mate your mother's reincarnation." The demigod argued back.

That made the couple stop in their tracks. Kagome's eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked at Ryuji with a whole new perception and a whole new pack of questions on her mind to ask Hikari.

" _Again_ , I didn't know!" Ryuji protested back. Yukimi's eyebrow twitched in irritation before she walked towards the Hanyou, turning him by his shoulders and pushing him towards the gate.

"Yes yes, it's all very confusing and extremely frustrating but we are going to skip the discussion about your questionable morality and get your ass out of here so we can actually get some progress done," She said as she pushed him past the Lord and Lady and came to a halt right outside of the gates.

"Still as charming as I remember, Yukimi," Ryuji commented, and the sorceress lifted an eyebrow to him.

"I aim to please," And then she ordered for the gates to be closed.

They all watched in stunned silence as Yukimi walked up to her mother with determination, "If you want my help in this mess things will be done under _my_ terms and _my_ conditions. No wasting time, no nonsense, no pranks and no _bets_." She seethed at the demigod, who lifted both her hands and eyebrows in a sign of peace, taking a step back.

"Whatever my lovely daughter demands," She said with an overly sweet voice before skipping to the gate and jumping over it to talk to the monk.

Yukimi bit back a scowl and went over to both rulers, who watched everything silently. With a respectful bow, she spoke, "Lord Sesshomaru, it seems that some things need to be set straight before we can take any other course of action. I'd like to request that you head back over to the meeting room so we can discuss things properly."

Sesshomaru grunted affirmatively and Kagome furrowed her brows, her mind racing with possibilities of what Yukimi meant and from where they knew Ryuji. They followed the sorceress up the stairs and when they reached the corridor, she caught sight of the demon she so kindly relieved of the weight of an arm. The guy seemed traumatized… more than she remembered anyway. He was looking frantically towards every direction as the guards dragged him towards the dungeons.

"What happened to the spy?" Kagome asked and Hikari walked past her already answering.

"I did. Come, we have a lot to discuss," She said as she led the way back to the meeting room.

"What about Ryuji?" Kagome asked and Hikari turned to her as someone who was trying to keep some laughter from escaping her.

"Before you bombard me with questions, I must tell you that will explain everything once we come to an agreement. As for Ryuji… he needs some time to assess what he describes as 'the most confused boner' he's ever had," Hikari explained and Kagome blushed deeply, regretting ever asking while Sesshomaru sneered internally at the statement. He offered his arm to his mate, who gladly took it to return to the meeting room.

* * *

"No," Was the simultaneous answer from Kagome and Sesshomaru to Hikari's 'request'. The demigod pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration as Kagome went back to nibbling on her fourth stuffed Onigiri. She had been starving.

"I don't remember giving you a choice in the matter," She said nonchalantly as Isamu and Takeshi glanced between the rulers and the demigod. If you gave them popcorn they'd be unconsciously munching on it. Inukimi just chuckled and Yukimi, leaning against the wall farthest from her mother, sighed silently. Kagome spoke once she finished swallowing.

"Hikari, we are not leaving for the next five months. Are you out of your mind?! Sesshomaru's a Lord, he can't simply disappear, especially when we're on the verge of war! What about Shippo and Rin?!" At that Hikari shrugged.

"We can take the kids with us. But I warn you that I'm not a good babysitter."

"Of _that_ I don't doubt," Isamu mumbled, making Kagome nod in agreement and Hikari roll her eyes at them.

"Look, I got some information from that spy your soldiers dragged here and something fishy is going on with the north. The twins that rule it are getting cocky, just out of the blue decided to make some bold moves on other lands. Which leads me to believe something bigger is behind this and we need you ready for it, Kagome. Your power has grown and you need to understand it better, and that goes for you too," She pointed at Sesshomaru, who raised a brow at her.

Someone scoffed and everyone turned to Inukimi.

"Are you telling us something is manipulating the northern siblings, two full-fledged daiyoukai and this _girl_ can stop it?" She pointed at Kagome, an incredulous sneer stamped on her face. Sesshomaru growled in warning and Hikari snarled at the female Inu, surprising everyone.

"Why are daiyoukai so offended by the notion of a human being important in any way? Yes! This 'girl' can stop it because she can single-handedly kill everyone in this room without sweating if she fucking wants to!" She exploded, her eyes tinting red as she glared at Inukimi, getting tired of demons and their fragile egos.

Said Inu paled considerably and everyone held their breaths. Yukimi was by her mother in an instant, pulling the demigod back. Her eyes widened considerably when she noticed she was shaking.

"Hikari, are you okay?" Kagome asked, what was said about her missing her fully as she furrowed her brows at the tone she never heard from her mentor before.

Sesshomaru didn't miss it though. Hikari said _everyone_ in the room, not 'all of you'. She included _herself_. A demigod. He looked at his mate with his eyes slightly wide as he regarded her with renewed curiosity.

The demigod blinked back the tint in her eyes, patting Yukimi's hand on her shoulder to signal she was calmer.

"I'm fine. Just tired of useless questioning," she said, eyeing Inukimi icely. Yukimi sighed.

"Ok, we don't have time for this because Kagome can't really do that right now. She needs further guidance and we are squeezing years of training into five months," She looked at Sesshomaru and spoke again, "Milord, I highly advise for you to accompany your Lady. I assure you it will be worth your time and risk."

Sesshomaru didn't doubt that one bit.

"Plus, Isamu knows the ropes around here, I've refreshed his memory and everything! The West will survive," Hikari complemented, back to her usual self and everyone waited with bated breath for Sesshomaru's answer.

The Lord was, to say the least, overwhelmed by the quantity of information he had just received. But he had learnt to tone down his questioning of things when around Kagome, because there was just so much to uncover that to question everything brought him no benefit whatsoever. In fact, it slowed the answers from coming to him.

But _five months_ away?

He looked at Kagome, who looked as stunned as everyone else. Their bind told him how anxious, distraught and nervous she was with all of this. Her bicoloured eyes met his and he felt just how much she saw him as her safe haven in all this mess. This was what she's been missing for so long, someone to be there with her.

"Very well," he agreed and Takeshi said his first word ever since he entered the meeting room.

"But milord! You can't simply leave in the middle of such events!"

"Oh, relax, general. He's not 'simply leaving', or weren't you paying attention to the whole conversation?" Hikari questioned and the Inu blushed, still hesitant on dropping the issue. Kagome took pity on the general's worries.

"Hikari, can't we at least come back once a week or two to see how things are faring?" She asked and Hikari looked at Yukimi, lifting her brow. The sorceress nodded.

"Sure, once every two weeks you can come and take a look to see if your reign stands, the reports from the village will be sent to us through Inukimi. Does that soothe everyone's needs?" When greeted with silence, Hikari clapped her hands once, "Good, shall we get to business then? You two are coming with me while Yukimi takes care of the rest of the preparations."

Sesshomaru and Kagome glanced at each other before leaving the room. She felt her Lord sending his aura out somewhere and glanced at him in curiosity, but he remained as impassive as ever. They reached the steps to Yukimi's library and descended.

There was a space in the centre of the room, books were piled against the uneven walls to create the space currently available. In the open spot, there were three cushions evenly spaced. Hikari plopped onto the farthest one and gestured for them to sit. Sesshomaru moved, but Kagome remained still for a moment, looking wearily at the cushion.

"Are we breaking the next seal?" She asked.

Hikari cleared her throat subtly, "Yeah, we need to get that out of the way."

The western Lord, still standing next to his cushion, tilted his head at his mate in curiosity. Wasn't this something she should look forward to? A step in the right direction? Why did he feel such weariness coming from her?

Kagome took a deep breath and sat down on her designated cushion, aka the one no one took. She positioned herself and looked at Sesshomaru, who had sat across from her. Hikari cleared her throat.

"Ok, so I'm going to give you a summary of what's going to happen: Kagome will begin the process of destroying the seal or releasing the fissure, whatever you wanna call it, and her reiki will react violently, trying to stop her," The Lord stared at the demigod, mildly concerned while Kagome just sighed, "You seem awfully unsurprised with that tidbit of information," Hikari observed, looking at her student and Kagome shrugged.

"I kind of guessed, since I've felt it twice now," She explained and Hikari opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. She looked at Sesshomaru.

"Killing Perfection, your role is basically to stop Kagome's power from kicking her out once she begins tearing the seal apart. The presence of your youki within her is what makes it possible for her to even begin doing this, and you'll have to actually fight her power to keep it from interfering." She concluded and Kagome hummed.

"I just have one question: why is my power so against me?" Both Sesshomaru and Hikari stared at her, "I mean, think about it... My aura, that even though helped me get closer to Sess again, was still making me miserable. The seals I broke all put weight after weight on my shoulders and my depression would get progressively worse," Kagome glared at Hikari in a silent warning before continuing, "And finally there's this last 'tidbit' that I just found out. So, I repeat my question: why does my power hate me?" Hikari ran her hand through her hair, a sigh escaping her.

"It's not your power on its own, it's your soul… kind of," Kagome scoffed.

"Oh, pardon my confusion," she said sarcastically.

"Kagome, you'll understand soon enough, have a little patience," Hikari said and the miko pouted, feeling frustrated and angry, among other things. "Can we get this over with?" She asked, clearly irritated.

The demigod made a gesture indicating she was just waiting for her, and Kagome immediately sat straighter to meditate. Blocking everything out, the miko almost gasped when her power showed itself to her.

It was huge. And bright. It was this pearlescent white mist with silver whisps around it. The miko felt herself reaching for it, but stopped when she felt a somewhat familiar pressure. She stopped blocking Sesshomaru from entering and watched as a silver mist with green whisps made its way to her, followed by Sesshomaru himself. Well, a representation of him, she supposed.

It was kind of weird seeing him on a dark void walking towards her, but her mind was quickly drawn away from it as his power went through her, making her skin tingle and erupting some quiet giggles from her.

Sesshomaru opened his arms for her and she didn't hesitate, running and slamming herself against him. This felt very, very intimate and she absorbed every good sensation that came with it. Kami knew she needed it.

They both felt their power mixing once again and Kagome turned to see the mists dancing with one another in a mesmerizing fashion. She tightened her hold on Sesshomaru, anxiety taking over her. He ran his clawed fingers through her hair, making her look at him again. What she saw in his eyes gave her a sense of security, she felt it in her core that he was telling her he was there for her. That he'd always be there for her. The miko sighed.

 _Ok, let's get this over with._

Kagome thought with determination and left the embrace of her mate to walk over to the fissures. She went with logic and reached for the smaller one. She looked back to Sesshomaru and he nodded, indicating he was ready.

As soon as Kagome 'touched' the fissure, her power reacted. She hissed in pain as she received a lot of pressure, but wasn't moved. She spied back and watched as her mist tried to reach her, but Sesshomaru's wasn't letting it. When Kagome heard him grunting from exertion, she began moving faster, hurrying the process to liberate the fissure.

A few torturous moments later, the seal broke and all the both of them could see was white.

* * *

-x-

AN: Hmm, you guys hear that? It's the plot engine FINALLY moving again.

I'll do something I thought I wouldn't do... Mostly because it's risky and raises some expectations. But fuck it.

I'll respond directly to a review. I would DM but you can't DM guests, so:

Bryne: Agree with you one hundred percent on the focus on the OCs. But Lord almighty, OUCH! Can you tell I'm not used to this shit yet?

But yeah, I have read all reviews, including the criticism, and I actually welcome those. You don't need to hide behind the guest mask though, I don't bite… too hard.

Anyway, I feel like I need to put this out there… because it's bothering me. It took way too long to write the last chapter for three reasons (or excuses, depending on what kind of image you have of me):

1) I was hating the relationship between the two of them, EVERYTHING I wrote sounded forced to me since their mating, so not wanting to stop posting chapters, I changed the focus.

Big mistake, l noticed, since it was getting hard to head back to the main plot, but that's where my reason number 2 lies.

2) this actually is my very first fanfic, and as much as it hurts to admit, I know very little of what I'm doing ._.

But hey, living and learning, am I right?

3) When I noticed what I was doing, I spent 3 months banging my head against a wall to find out how to make this fic writeable for me again. I didn't want to abandon it. So no, I'm not trying to make the plot more complicated, I'm just trying to find a way to like my own story again since I actually know how it ends basically… so, sorry I took so long? I mean, I have other things going on and stuff so the priority for this was kind of neglected. But I still want to finish it and it still bothered me daily, and I gave it a lot of thought, trying to write something to see if it worked. (ended up with like, 10 new ideas for fics I'm never going to write lol).

A huge thanks to Kijzar, since I was reading Heated Betrayal and the memory bit gave me a push to the solution I got. Loving it, btw, keep up the awesome work!

For those who hate Hikari: I'm sorry (not really) to inform you but she is not going anywhere anytime soon, since I made her part of the main plot and I've committed. But the good news is, I intend to keep the focus on Sess and Kagome again since now I can write without fucking cringing at everything they do and I realized the obvious fact that I can leave you guys in the dark with the stuff the other characters are doing.

...

-plots murder-

Anyway, I'm responding to this review in particular because it brought up something I was trying to fix already, only didn't know how because I'm just a potato with an overactive imagination :D

And finally, I'd like to thank EVERYONE that reviews and reads my silly story. It actually drives me forward and helps me grow as a storyteller… and as a person too 'cause the sting is real and you gotta learn to deal with it in a productive way.

Thank you all so much for reading my fic!

Els


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